Golfing icon Tiger Woods is facing DUI charges following a striking rollover accident on Jupiter Island, Florida. The 50-year-old sports star was taken into custody by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office after the event, which happened when Woods made contact with a pressure-cleaner trailer during a high-speed passing maneuver.
The accident took place shortly before 2 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2026, along South Beach Road, a two-lane road with a posted speed limit of 30 mph. Woods’ Land Rover came up behind a truck traveling north as its operator started moving into a driveway. According to investigators, Woods attempted to overtake the truck but collided with the trailer being pulled behind it, flipping his SUV onto the driver’s side and sending it sliding across the road surface. Woods exited through the passenger side window and departed the scene unharmed.
Upon arrival, officers noted Woods displayed indicators of impairment. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek characterized him as “lethargic.” Although a breathalyzer examination showed 0.00, indicating no alcohol present in his body. A Drug Recognition Expert determined that Woods’ impairment most likely resulted from medication or drugs. Woods consented to the breathalyzer but declined a urine test, resulting in an additional charge: refusal to submit to a lawful test. Officers discovered no substances inside the vehicle, but a search of Woods found two white pills in his pants pocket, which were identified as hydrocodone, a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain.
Officers transported Woods to the Martin County Jail in Stuart at approximately 3 p.m., where state law mandated he stay for no less than eight hours. He secured bail and exited the facility just before midnight, leaving as a passenger in a black SUV amid a crowd of photographers.
The two charges Woods faces are both misdemeanors. An initial DUI conviction in Florida results in up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, while refusing a lawful test results in up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. In the absence of urine test evidence, legal analysts suggest the refusal charge may be the more probable path to conviction.
Woods pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned on April 23, per court records. Prosecutors have also announced plans to subpoena Woods’ prescription medication records from Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach, Florida, covering the start of 2026 through the end of March, seeking details on prescriptions filled, dosage amounts, and any warnings about driving while taking the medications.
President Donald Trump commented on the arrest upon arriving in Miami for an investment summit. “I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump told reporters. “Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man. But some difficulty.” Woods is in a relationship with Vanessa Trump, 48, the president’s former daughter-in-law and ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr.
Woods is valued at $1.5 billion by Forbes, making him the richest golfer ever and just the second active athlete to achieve billionaire status, along with LeBron James.
This represents Woods’ second DUI arrest. In May 2017, Jupiter police discovered him unconscious at the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz and needed to rouse him. A toxicology analysis from that episode showed five drugs in his body: Vicodin, Dilaudid, Xanax, Ambien, and THC. Woods subsequently apologized to his family, friends, and fans, attributing the incident to an unanticipated reaction to prescribed medications. He entered a guilty plea to reckless driving and participated in a diversion program that cleared his record.
In February 2021, Woods suffered a catastrophic single-vehicle crash in Rolling Hills Estates, California, that nearly cost him his right leg, requiring emergency surgery and months of recovery. No impairment was found.
Merely three days before his arrest, Woods participated in the TGL Finals at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, his first competitive play in over a year. His Jupiter Links Golf Club team was defeated by the Los Angeles Golf Club, which claimed the SoFi Cup with a dominant 9-2 victory. He had mentioned his possible participation in the April 9 Masters Tournament, but his accident and arrest have ruled that option out.
Sheriff Budensiek noted the crash could have been fatal had there been oncoming traffic. “This could have been a lot worse,” he said. The truck driver sustained no injuries.
Woods released a statement following his not-guilty plea, saying, “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” adding that stepping away was necessary to prioritize his well-being and work toward lasting recovery. A judge granted his request to seek treatment outside the United States. Woods’ long-serving agent, Mark Steinberg, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The arrest contributes another chaotic chapter to Woods’ personal narrative, which has featured widely publicized battles with pain medication after numerous surgeries to prolong his playing career. Notwithstanding these obstacles, Woods remains among golf’s most identifiable and impactful figures, a 15-time major champion who revolutionized the sport and continues to generate enormous interest whenever he steps onto a course.
The golf world will be watching closely as Woods confronts both the legal fallout and his ongoing health challenges.