Tiger Woods Arrested on Suspicion of DUI After Rollover Crash in Florida

A pickup truck was slowing to turn into a driveway on Beach Road on Jupiter Island when Woods' SUV came up from behind at a high rate of speed, clipped the back of the trailer, and flipped onto its side. The crash occurred just after 2 p.m. ET on Jupiter Island, where Woods resides. Woods was able to crawl out of the passenger door of the Land Rover and wasn't injured, and the driver of the pickup truck was also not hurt.

Tiger Woods was arrested on suspicion of a DUI following the two-vehicle crash involving the pickup truck and the Land Rover on Jupiter Island on Friday. Deputies said the crash occurred at 281 South Beach Road, near Woods' home. Sheriff John Budensiek noted that fortunately no cars were coming from the opposite direction: "Had there been somebody moving in the opposite direction, we would not be having a conversation saying there was no injuries. This could have been a lot worse."

"Our DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment," Budensiek said at a media briefing. "They did several tests on him, of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had, we did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests, and when it was determined, he was placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County Jail."

Woods agreed to take a breathalyzer test, which showed no alcohol in his system, but refused to take a urine test, which is used to detect drugs or medication. Budensiek said deputies and on-scene medical experts believed "it was some type of medication or drug" causing the impairment, adding: "He was lethargic on scene, but that we believe was because of what he was intoxicated on." The sheriff said no drugs or medication were found inside Woods' vehicle at the time of the wreck.

Budensiek was direct about the evidentiary hole the refusal creates. "We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash," he said. On Woods' demeanor, the sheriff added: "He is cooperative, but he was not trying to incriminate himself. So he was careful in what he said and didn't say."

In addition to driving under the influence with property damage, Woods was charged with refusal to submit to a lawful test. Both charges are misdemeanors. Woods was held in the Martin County Jail for at least eight hours, in accordance with Florida law for DUI arrests. He has since bonded out of jail, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

The refusal charge carries its own escalating consequences under a Florida law that took effect just months before Friday's crash. Effective October 1, 2025, a new Florida statute known as "Trenton's Law" makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to refuse a lawful request for a breath or urine test following a DUI arrest. A conviction on that count can carry up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, in addition to administrative license suspension. Notably, any refusal can now be prosecuted independently, meaning the state can pursue charges even if the underlying DUI charge is dropped, reduced or dismissed.

Budensiek addressed the optics of arresting a figure of Woods' stature directly: "We know we arrested a high-profile figure. I'm not trying to dramatize, but it doesn't matter who you are. If you break the law, we're going to follow the law."

It is the second time Woods has faced DUI suspicion in Florida. In 2017, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Jupiter, Florida; an incident report at the time said he was asleep and "had to be woken up." Woods blamed that incident on an unexpected reaction to prescribed medication and later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, receiving one year of probation. The 2017 case drew widespread attention after dashcam footage showed Woods visibly disoriented, but it produced no lasting legal reform around how law enforcement documented or pursued potential medication impairment in celebrity cases. Friday's crash suggests the underlying risks were never fully resolved.

Woods, 50, is the most accomplished professional golfer of his generation but has been hampered by injuries in recent years; he was seriously injured in a car crash in February 2021 that shattered his right leg and ankle, which he has said nearly led to a decision to amputate. His most recent competitive appearance, just three days before the arrest, was his first since the 2024 Open Championship, after suffering a ruptured Achilles in March 2025 and undergoing lumbar disc replacement surgery in October. Earlier in the week, Woods played in the finals for Tomorrow's Golf League, where his team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, lost to the Los Angeles Golf Club.

Whether Woods would compete at the upcoming Masters Tournament, which begins April 9 at Augusta National, had been unclear before Friday. The five-time Masters champion had shared his desire to play following his TGL appearance. His management, Excel Sports, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.