Tiger Woods pleads no contest to reckless driving charge in Florida DUI case

Stuart, Florida witnessed a plea agreement being entered by professional golfer Tiger Woods on Wednesday, in relation to a reckless driving charge stemming from a rollover crash that occurred in March near his residence. Initially charged with DUI, Woods appeared before a judge in Martin County, where he accepted a lesser charge.

As a consequence, his driver's license was to be suspended for a period of five years. Woods, aged 50 at the time, provided little comment during the hearing, sitting at the defense table and gazing towards the courtroom gallery.

Earlier, Woods had pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge. The incident took place when his SUV collided with a truck and rolled over on its side on a residential road situated on Jupiter Island. During the investigation, deputies discovered two pain pills in Woods' pocket; however, a Breathalyzer test conducted on him returned negative results, yet he declined to submit to a urine test.

Neither Woods nor the individual in the other vehicle sustained any injuries from the crash. Despite the damage to the truck amounting to $5,000, as reported by the police, no one was harmed.

Woods had informed a deputy that he was preoccupied with his phone and adjusting the radio station when the collision occurred. Known as one of the most prominent figures in golf, Woods' career had been disrupted by multiple back and knee surgeries, car accidents, and dependency on pain medication. He had been involved in four crashes throughout his career.

Following the 2009 accident and the recent one, Woods took leaves from the golf tour but has yet to resume competitive play. He departed the United States to undergo treatment at an inpatient facility, according to court records. Woods made his first appearance in public since his return on June 23, when he unveiled the PGA Tour's schedule reforms for 2028.

Despite his arrest, Woods retained his position as chairman of the tour’s Future Competition Committee and did not accept any questions during his appearance.