Tiger Woods has pleaded guilty to reckless driving and refusing to submit to a lawful test following a vehicle accident in Jupiter, Florida, earlier this year, avoiding a potential jail sentence.
The 50-year-old golf star accepted a five-year suspension of his driver’s licence and a $1,000 fine as part of the plea agreement. Charges that could have resulted in imprisonment were dropped, according to reports.
Woods had initially pleaded not guilty but later appeared in court in person after filing a motion to change his plea. The case stemmed from his arrest on March 27 following a crash on South Beach Road.
Police had initially accused Woods of driving under the influence with property damage and refusing to take a breathalyser test after the accident. He was also issued a $163 traffic citation for careless driving.
According to the police account, Woods’ Land Rover collided with a trailer travelling in the opposite direction before overturning on the road. He was able to get out of the vehicle without assistance before officers arrived.
Woods initially refused to take a breathalyser test at the scene and told officers he had not consumed alcohol. However, subsequent breath tests at the police station reportedly returned readings of 0.00 on two occasions. In Florida, a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher is the legal threshold for driving under the influence.
The case also involved questions about medication. Officers reportedly found two hydrocodone pills in Woods’ possession after he said he was taking medication. However, the DUI-related charges were ultimately dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Under the terms of the deal, Woods will not serve time in prison but will be barred from driving for five years. He has also been warned that if he is caught driving during the suspension, he could face immediate imprisonment.
