The pro golfer was arrested in May 2017 after authorities found him sleeping in his vehicle.

What Tiger Woods said about his previous DUI arrest before rollover crash and charges in Florida

The pro golfer was arrested in May 2017 after authorities found him sleeping in his vehicle.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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March 27, 2026 9:13 p.m. ET

Tiger Woods in 2024. Credit:

Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty

Tiger Woods' Friday arrest on suspicion of DUI sounded familiar to sports fans.

The pro golfer's vehicle collided with a pressure cleaner truck before 2 p.m. near his home in Jupiter Island, Fla., prompting it to roll over onto the driver's side, Sheriff John Budensiek, of the Martin County Sheriff's Office, said at a news conference.

Woods was "lethargic on scene" and showed signs that he was impaired, the sheriff said. While his breathalyzer test was clear, he refused to have his urine tested for other substances.

Ultimately, the winner of 15 major golf championships was charged with two misdemeanors of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to lawful test.

No one was harmed.

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Wood was previously arrested in May 2017, when authorities found him sleeping in his vehicle in Florida. The vehicle had damage on the driver's side.

At that time, there was no alcohol found in Woods' blood, but painkillers, sleeping drugs, and an active ingredient of marijuana were present, per the toxicology report cited by CBS News, , the sheriff added at the news conference.

The athlete also went for treatment for addiction to prescription medicine.

“I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved,” he said in the statement. “What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly.”

Following the arrest, he underwent treatment for prescription drug addiction.

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When he left treatment in July of that year, he said through a spokesperson that he was continuing to work on the issue.

"As I previously said, I received professional help to manage my medications," Woods said. "Recently, I had been trying on my own to treat my back pain and a sleep disorder, including insomnia, but I realize now it was a mistake to do this without medical assistance. I am continuing to work with my doctors, and they feel I've made significant progress. I remain grateful for the amazing support that I continue to receive and for the family and friends that are assisting me."

Tiger Woods has been arrested.

David Cannon/Getty

In that earlier case, Woods ended up pleading guilty to reckless driving and the DUI charge was dropped.

Woods, 50, has been involved in other high-profile car accidents. He infamously crashed his car into a neighbor's yard in 2009, which prompted a series of events that ultimately led him to go to rehab for sex addiction. In 2021, he was in a single-car incident in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., that sent his vehicle down an embankment.

He wasn't charged with anything in the latter accident, but it landed him in the hospital for surgery.

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