Change to Florida law could affect Woods’ DUI case, experts say
Tiger Woods is facing DUI-related charges in Florida after a rollover crash in Jupiter Island, where the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said he showed “signs of impairment” and refused a urine test, authorities said. Woods was arrested and released on bail about eight hours later, according to the sheriff’s office account of the incident, which occurred on Friday. A legal expert said a change in Florida law last year could allow prosecutors to pursue a refusal charge even if the case lacks lab results.
The case hinges on what Woods did during the testing process at the jail. Investigators said Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol but declined a urine test. In Florida, prosecutors can also bring charges tied to DUI-related refusals, and the expert in the case described how the legal change alters the stakes for defendants who refuse testing.
David Hill, an Orlando defense attorney who said he is not involved in Woods’ case, pointed to the statutory shift. “Now, it doesn’t matter if you refused previously or not,” Hill said, describing the practical impact of the law’s update. Under that change, Hill said, refusing a law enforcement officer’s request to take a breath, blood or urine test became a misdemeanor even for a first offense.
The sheriff’s account adds detail about Woods’ cooperation and the point at which it stopped. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek told reporters that Woods cooperated when he spoke with investigators after the crash but chose his words carefully. “And when it came for the urine tests at the jail, he stopped that,” Budensiek said. Budensiek also said Woods had a right to refuse the test, but as a result, he was charged under the new Florida statute.
Investigators said Woods was driving at “high speeds” on a beachside, residential road in Jupiter Island when his Land Rover clipped a truck and rolled onto its side, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said Woods was not injured, and they described him as lethargic and believed he had taken some kind of medication or drug. The crash led to Woods’ arrest on charges that included refusing to submit to a lawful test, as well as DUI-related counts involving property damage.
In addition to the refusal charge, the account said Woods is charged with driving under the influence, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Hill said that the absence of lab results could matter for Woods’ defense because it removes a scientific basis for determining what drugs, if any, were in his system. He said it is “kind of our bread and butter if there’s nothing scientific, no breath results or urine results to look at,” addressing how defense strategy can change when toxicology results are not available.
Even so, legal experts said prosecutors may still proceed without lab testing. Hill said deputies performed roadside tests on Woods that seemed to show he was impaired, and he said any bodycam video or testimony indicating symptoms such as red or bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, or the smell of drugs or alcohol could support the case. He also said prosecutors can draw on that type of evidence even without lab results that identify impairment substances.
Hill said the case could also turn on Woods’ prior DUI history, which can affect the options available for dismissal or plea agreements in Florida. He said first-time DUI cases involving education and community service diversion may result in charges being dismissed, and he said first-time offenders sometimes can plead to reckless driving. But he noted that Woods was arrested in 2017 for a DUI, when Woods said he had taken a bad mix of painkillers and authorities found him asleep behind the wheel of his car with the engine running and the driver’s side damaged. Hill said Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving in that earlier matter.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, did not respond immediately to a request for comment, and the account said that no one from Woods’ camp or the PGA Tour—where Woods is on the board and chairman of the committee reshaping the competition model—had commented since his arrest.