Tiger Woods has been involved in four notable driving incidents: a November 2009 crash outside his Florida home that produced only a careless-driving citation, a May 2017 DUI arrest in Jupiter, Florida, that he resolved with a reckless-driving plea and a diversion program, a February 2021 single-vehicle rollover in Southern California that shattered his right leg but resulted in no charges, and a March 2026 DUI arrest in Jupiter Island, Florida, that is still pending and prompted him to step away from professional golf for treatment.
The 2009 Crash Outside His Florida Home
At roughly 2:25 a.m. on November 27, 2009, Woods crashed his Cadillac SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home in the Isleworth community near Orlando. His wife, Elin Nordegren, told police she heard the crash and broke the rear window with a golf club to pull him from the vehicle.1CNN. Tiger Woods Crash Near His Florida Home
The Florida Highway Patrol closed its investigation on December 1, 2009, finding Woods at fault. Investigators reported no evidence of impairment and said there was insufficient evidence to subpoena his medical records.2The New York Times. Tiger Woods Cited for Careless Driving He was cited for careless driving, fined $164, and assessed four points on his license.3CBS 12. Timeline of Tiger Woods’ Most Consequential Public Moments No criminal charges were filed. Authorities confirmed no claims of domestic violence had been made.4WBUR. Tiger Woods Cited for Careless Driving Woods called the accident “my fault” and “embarrassing.”
The 2017 DUI Arrest in Jupiter
On May 29, 2017, Jupiter, Florida, police found Woods asleep at the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz with the engine running and arrested him on a DUI charge.5Yahoo Sports. Tiger Woods DUI Arrest and Charges Explained Toxicology results identified five substances in his system: Vicodin, Dilaudid, Xanax, Ambien, and THC. Woods attributed the episode to an unexpected reaction to prescription medications he was taking for pain management after back surgery.
Under an August 2017 plea agreement, Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving and prosecutors dropped the DUI charge. On October 27, 2017, he entered Palm Beach County’s first-time DUI offender diversion program.6TC Palm. Tiger Woods Appears Before Palm Beach County Judge The program required one year of probation, 50 hours of community service, a $250 fine plus court costs, DUI school, a victim impact workshop, a 10-day vehicle immobilization, regular drug testing, and a ban on alcohol and drug use.7ABC News. Tiger Woods to Enter Diversion Program By the plea hearing, Woods had already completed the community service through the Tiger Woods Foundation and attended the victim impact workshop.8ESPN. Tiger Woods Pleads Guilty to Reckless Driving Successful completion allowed him to petition to have the reckless-driving conviction expunged.
The 2021 Rollover in Rancho Palos Verdes
On February 23, 2021, Woods crashed a 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV on a downhill stretch of road at the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The vehicle had been loaned to him by sponsors of the Genesis Invitational.9Al Jazeera. Tiger Woods Crash Due to Speed, Possible Confusion The SUV struck a center median and a welcome sign, crossed two lanes, sheared off a tree, and rolled multiple times before coming to rest on its side about 30 yards off the road. First responders used the jaws of life, a pry bar, and an axe to pull Woods out.10ABC7. Tiger Woods Crash Black Box Data
His injuries were severe. Woods suffered open fractures to the upper and lower portions of his right tibia and fibula. Surgeons placed a rod in the tibia and used screws and pins to repair additional fractures in his foot and ankle, and performed a procedure to relieve pressure from swelling in the leg muscles.11ESPN. Tiger Woods Career Injuries
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department led the investigation. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the vehicle’s event data recorder, which showed Woods was traveling between 84 and 87 mph in a 45 mph zone at the first point of impact and about 75 mph when he hit the tree. The accelerator was at 99 percent and the brake at zero, with no evidence of braking during the crash sequence.12MotorTrend. Tiger Woods Crash InvestigationTiger Woods Car Crash Sheriff Release Findings
No citations or criminal charges followed. Sheriff Alex Villanueva called the event “purely an accident” and said “an accident is not a crime,” explaining that a reckless-driving charge would have required elements such as unsafe lane changes or other violations not present in a single-car crash.13NBC News. LA Sheriff Says He Doesn’t Expect Charges Against Tiger Woods Captain James Powers said a speeding citation would have required officer observation or an independent eyewitness.14Yahoo Sports. Experts Say Tiger Woods Did Not Receive Preferential Treatment From Police The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office confirmed no complaints had been filed.15ESPN. Detectives Find Cause of Tiger Woods Crash
Woods was not tested for drugs or alcohol. Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, the first on scene, described him as “calm and lucid,” and investigators said that without objective indicators of impairment such as the smell of alcohol, open containers, or visible narcotics, they lacked probable cause for a blood-draw warrant.16CNBC. Tiger Woods Was Speeding Before Car Crash A field sobriety test was ruled out given the severity of his injuries. Golf Digest observed that the public was left not with a clean toxicology result but with “the absence of a test.”17Golf Digest. Tiger Woods Is Not OK
The 2026 DUI Arrest in Jupiter Island
What Happened
On March 27, 2026, Woods was arrested after a rollover crash on South Beach Road in Jupiter Island, Florida, near his home. The crash occurred shortly before 2:00 p.m.18ABC News. Tiger Woods Involved in Rollover Crash in Florida According to police, Woods was driving a Land Rover at high speed on the narrow two-lane road, which has a 30 mph limit. He tried to pass a truck pulling a pressure-cleaning trailer, clipped the back of the trailer, and tipped onto the driver’s side. He climbed out through the passenger side. Neither driver was injured.19NBC News. Tiger Woods Rollover Crash in Florida
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods was “lethargic on scene.” A breathalyzer detected no alcohol, but officers suspected impairment from medication. Woods told officers he had taken prescription medication for prior injuries and refused to provide a urine sample. A deputy found two hydrocodone pills in his left pants pocket during the arrest.20NBC Miami. Tiger Woods Involved in Rollover Crash on Jupiter Island21ESPN. Tiger Woods Medical Records Following DUI Arrest Subpoenaed
The Charges
Woods was charged with two misdemeanors: driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He was held for the mandatory eight-hour minimum under Florida law and released at 11:11 p.m. on $1,150 bail.22Yahoo Sports. Tiger Woods Pleads Not Guilty
On March 31, 2026, through attorney Douglas Duncan of Roth & Duncan in West Palm Beach, Woods pleaded not guilty, waived arraignment, and requested a jury trial. The case is being heard in Martin County Court, part of Florida’s 19th Judicial Circuit.23CBS 12. Tiger Woods DUI Rollover Crash Details A docket hearing was set for May 5, 2026.22Yahoo Sports. Tiger Woods Pleads Not Guilty
The Records Fight
Prosecutors moved to subpoena Woods’ prescription records at a local pharmacy from January 1, 2026, through March 27, 2026, seeking fill dates, pill types and counts, dosages, special instructions, and warnings about operating a vehicle.24The New York Times / The Athletic. Tiger Woods DUI Prescription Medications Subpoena Woods’ attorney argued he had a “constitutional right to privacy interest” in those records.25ESPN. 26Golf Digest. Tiger Woods Medical Records 2026
In June 2026, prosecutors filed notice of intent to subpoena records from Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital, where Woods was treated after the crash, seeking “any and all drug screen results” and reports of statements he made about alcohol or chemical substance use. The defense was given 10 days to oppose.21ESPN. Tiger Woods Medical Records Following DUI Arrest Subpoenaed The case remains pending.
Stepping Away From Golf
On March 31, 2026, Woods announced he was stepping away from professional golf. “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” he said. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health.”27ESPN. Tiger Woods Stepping Away From Golf to Seek Treatment Court filings described a need for an “individualized program,” “continuous monitoring,” and a “highly controlled environment” for a “complex clinical presentation.” A Florida judge granted him permission to travel outside the United States for inpatient care after Duncan argued the required level of care “cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States” because of public scrutiny.28CBS Sports. Tiger Woods Steps Away for Treatment After DUI Arrest
Woods missed the 2026 Masters, and on April 1, 2026, the PGA of America announced he would not serve as the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain.29PGA Tour. Tiger Woods Announces Stepping Away From Pro Golf He had not played an official PGA Tour event since the 2024 Open Championship, having undergone disc replacement surgery in October 2025 and left Achilles tendon repair earlier that year. He retains his role as chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee, held since August 2025, with the Tour saying he will return to it when ready.30CNBC. Tiger Woods Golf Future Uncertain After Crash
A Related Lawsuit That Did Not Involve Woods Driving
One other matter is sometimes grouped with Woods’ driving history but does not involve him behind the wheel. In May 2019, the parents of Nicholas Immesberger, a 24-year-old bartender at Woods’ restaurant The Woods Jupiter, filed a wrongful death suit naming Woods, then-girlfriend Erica Herman, and the restaurant’s corporate entity. Immesberger died in a single-car crash on December 10, 2018, with a blood alcohol level of .256. The complaint alleged staff knowingly over-served him despite knowing his history with Alcoholics Anonymous and a prior alcohol-related crash.31CNN. Tiger Woods Wrongful Death Lawsuit32Jacksonville.com. Tiger Woods Named in Wrongful Death Lawsuit