Tiger Woods reaches plea deal in reckless driving case

MARTIN COUNTY, Florida — Tiger Woods reached a plea deal with prosecutors Wednesday in connection with DUI charges against him, following a car crash near his Florida home earlier this year. Woods, 50, appeared in a Martin County courtroom and pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of reckless driving and refusal to submit to a lawful test, avoiding time in prison. The troubled golfer also agreed to have his driving license suspended for five years and fined $1,500. In March, Woods was involved in a rollover on Jupiter Island, just north of Palm Beach, Florida. He initially pleaded not guilty to two charges — driving under the influence and refusing to submit to testing — in connection with the crash. Had he fought the charges and been convicted, Woods could have faced up to a year in county jail, according to prosecutors. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt but means the accused will offer no defense. The plea is treated as a conviction in the criminal justice system. Woods’ attorney declined to comment. The golf champion later left the courthouse without addressing reporters. Martin County State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl addressed reporters after the hearing. “Of all the people in the world who should not get behind the wheel of the car, it’s the gentleman who is one of the most recognizable faces on the planet,” Bakkedahl said. “Somebody will see him, whether it’s in Georgia or Nevada or New York or where have you. He’s not to drive a car.” Bakkedahl said he was unsure if the golf champion would be allowed to drive a golf cart under the terms of the deal. Woods arrived at the courthouse with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, President Donald Trump’s former daughter-in-law. She sat behind him during the hearing. The March crash involved a dark Land Rover that Woods had been driving and a truck carrying a trailer, according to officials. At the time, the driver of the truck said he was starting to turn into a driveway off a two-lane road when he looked into his mirror and saw Woods driving “at high speeds.” The driver tried veering off the road, but Woods’ Land Rover “overtook” the truck at the last minute, swerving to avoid a crash, officials said. Woods ultimately clipped the back of the trailer. Woods’ SUV rolled onto the driver’s side door, according to officials, leaving the golfer to exit by climbing out of the window. Neither Woods nor the truck driver was injured in the crash. Woods told authorities that he was under the influence and had two hydrocodone pills in his pocket upon his arrest, Bakkedahl said. In the days following the incident, Woods said in a statement on social media that he was seeking treatment. “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in,” he wrote. Bakkedahl described Woods and his attorney as being cooperative in handing over evidence to officials. Several days before the crash, Woods played in a match in the finals for Tomorrow’s Golf League. His team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, lost to the Los Angeles Golf Club in the competition. Woods, who is among the most influential figures in golf, has been involved in several road incidents in recent years. In 2021, he was involved in a rollover in Southern California but did not face criminal charges. The golf champion was also arrested and charged with a DUI in Florida in 2017. He checked himself into a clinic that same year.