New information from the police report sheds light on the March rollover crash near Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Island home. Woods, who has pleaded not guilty to a DUI charge, told deputies he was looking at his phone and changing the radio and did not see a truck slowing ahead. According to the report, his SUV clipped a trailer and flipped onto its side.
Deputies found two white pills in Woods’ pocket that were later identified as hydrocodone, a potent prescription painkiller. Woods told investigators he takes several prescription medications and had taken them earlier that morning; the report does not specify whether hydrocodone was among those medications.
Officers at the scene described Woods as sweating profusely, with bloodshot eyes and pupils that were extremely dilated. They also noted that his movements were lethargic and slow. The report records that Woods had taken part in an indoor golf tournament three days before the crash.
The incident adds to the five-time Masters champion’s history of serious vehicle accidents, including a 2021 crash near Los Angeles in which his SUV rolled and he suffered severe leg injuries. Highlights from the report and legal commentary emphasize that any prosecution will focus on the events of the March crash itself; prior DUIs and earlier accidents would generally be excluded from evidence if the case goes to trial.
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, who handled Woods’ 2017 DUI case, discussed the matter on the CBS Evening News and noted the intense scrutiny the athlete faces. Aronberg and other commentators questioned why Woods was driving given his medical history and past incidents.
The report also states that Woods refused a law enforcement request for a urine test at the scene. Under a Florida law enacted late last year, refusing such a test is a misdemeanor and can trigger a driver’s license suspension of at least one year.
Woods’ defense remains that he did not see the truck slow in front of him. Investigators and any prosecutors will examine the report’s observations — the pills found, his physical condition at the scene, and his statements about taking prescription medications earlier that day — as the case moves forward.