Woods had pills in pocket at crash scene, say police
Tiger Woods had two hydrocodone pills in his pocket as officers observed him acting "lethargic and slow" while "sweating profusely" with "extremely dilated" pupils following his car crash in Florida last week, a police report says. Woods, 50, was released on bail after being arrested on charges of driving under the influence after clipping a truck and rolling his car. Nobody was injured.
The golfer, who had to crawl out of the passenger door, passed a breathalyser test but refused a urinalysis test for other drugs, according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek. During an interview at the scene of the crash, Woods was "sweating profusely" and his movements were "lethargic and slow", an officer wrote in the arrest affidavit released on Tuesday. According to the incident report, when asked if he took any prescription medication, Woods replied "I take a few", while adding he had done so earlier in the morning.
The authorities then found two white pills, which were identified as hydrocodone - an opioid used to treat pain. Woods told authorities he was looking down at his phone while changing radio stations and did not realise the truck in front of him had slowed down before the collision. Woods, a 15-time major winner, was kept in jail for eight hours after the incident - the minimum allowed under state law - before being released on bail.
He was also charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. The report noted that Woods was observed "limping and stumbling", adding that the American said he had had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg. Woods underwent multiple surgeries following a serious car crash in 2021.
An officer also noted that Woods was "extremely alert and talkative" and had "hiccups during the entire investigation". A deputy who walked Woods through a series of field sobriety tests said in the report that based on their training: "I believed that Woods' normal faculties were impaired, and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle. " Neither Woods nor the PGA Tour are yet to publicly comment on the arrest and charges.