‘Tiger Woods was impaired’: Police hints at DUI angle after arrest in Florida car accident; here's what caused it

Tiger Woods was arrested for DUI after being involved in a car accident on Jupiter Island, Florida on Friday

Updated on: Mar 28, 2026, 02:57:51 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Tiger Woods was arrested for DUI after being involved in a car accident on Jupiter Island, Florida on Friday, the Martin County Sheriff's Office confirmed. The crash took place around 2 PM local time. The 50-year-old PGA legend was not injured, officials added.

US golfer Tiger Woods reacts after driving from the 4th tee during his second round, on day two of the 152nd British Open Golf Championship (AFP)

One person in in stable condition and another person refused to go to the hospital, police said.

Donald Trump reacts

Woods is dating the president's former daughter-in-law Vanessa. Trump told reporters that Woods has had ‘some difficulty’ after the crash.

“I feel so badly,” he said. “He’s got some difficulty. There was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person. Amazing man. But, some difficulty. I don’t want to talk about it.”

What caused the crash?

Police said that Tiger Woods was in his Land Rover and attempted to pass a truck pulling a trailer at a high rate of speed on a two lane road when he swiped the trailer and his vehicle rolled on its side. The golfer immediately crawled out of the car.

Officials said that there were no drugs or medication in the car. He was alone.

What charges does Tiger Woods face?

Woods was arrested for DUI. He was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. It was not alcohol related, as he passed a breathalyzer at the jail house but refused to take a urine test. He will be in jail until 11 PM ET Friday.

What is the DUI protocol in Florida?

In Florida, jail time for DUI depends on how many prior offenses you have and whether there were aggravating factors like injury, high blood alcohol level, or a minor in the vehicle.

First DUI offense

Up to 6 months in jail

Can increase to 9 months if:

Blood alcohol level (BAL) is 0.15% or higher

Minor was in the car

Second DUI offense

Up to 9 months in jail

Up to 12 months if BAL ≥ 0.15 or minor present

Mandatory minimum 10 days jail if second offense occurs within 5 years of the first

Third DUI offense

If within 10 years:

Mandatory minimum 30 days jail

Up to 5 years in prison (felony DUI)

If outside 10 years:

Up to 12 months jail

Fourth DUI offense (or more)

Considered a felony

Up to 5 years in prison

Aggravating factors (increase penalties)

You can face harsher punishment if:

You caused serious bodily injury → up to 5 years prison

DUI manslaughter (death caused) → up to 15 years prison

Leaving the scene (hit-and-run death) → up to 30 years prison

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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