Tiger Woods, the 50-year-old golfing icon who has claimed 15 major championships, was freed on bail on Friday evening following his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence in Florida.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Woods faces additional charges of causing property damage and declining to provide a lawful sample.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon in Jupiter Island when Woods overturned his Land Rover after striking another vehicle.
Sheriff John Budensiek stated that whilst officers did not believe alcohol was a factor, they suspected the golfer may have been impaired by some other substance at the time of the collision.
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According to Sheriff Budensiek, the collision took place on Beach Road shortly before 2pm local time when Woods allegedly tried to pass a pressure cleaning lorry whilst travelling at considerable speed.
The golfer's vehicle rolled over during the impact, forcing him to escape through the passenger door.
Authorities confirmed that nobody sustained injuries in the accident.
Investigators attending the scene determined that Woods displayed indications of impairment, prompting them to conduct multiple assessments
| GETTYInvestigators attending the scene determined that Woods displayed indications of impairment, prompting them to conduct multiple assessments.
"They did several tests on him," Budensiek explained. "He did explain the injuries and surgeries that he's had and we did take that into account, but they did some in-depth roadside tests."
Despite showing signs of impairment, Woods registered "triple zeros" on a breathalyser examination, leading investigators to conclude that alcohol was unlikely to be involved.
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"They were really not suspicious of alcohol being involved," Budensiek confirmed.
However, the golfer declined to submit a urine sample, which has resulted in a separate charge.
"He has a right to refuse that test," the sheriff noted. "There is a statute which he will be charged with for refusing to take that test, but we will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash."
Budensiek described Woods as "co-operative but was trying not to incriminate himself".
All charges brought against the golfer are classified as misdemeanours rather than felonies.
US President Donald Trump expressed his sympathy following news of the incident, describing Woods as a close personal friend
| GETTYUS President Donald Trump expressed his sympathy following news of the incident, describing Woods as a close personal friend.
"I feel so badly. He has got some difficulty. There was an accident. That's all I know," Trump stated. "He's a very close friend of mine. He's an amazing person - an amazing man."
Woods spent eight hours in custody before his release, which represents the minimum detention period permitted under Florida state law.
The arrest marks another difficult chapter for the golfer, who has previously faced legal troubles and undergone numerous surgical procedures throughout his career.