Tiger Woods gets five-year ban after crash plea
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Tiger Woods appeared in a Florida court on Wednesday and did not contest a reduced reckless-driving charge after his March crash near his home. The plea deal spared him a more serious drug-impaired driving prosecution, and the court suspended his licence for five years while imposing a US$1,500 fine.
Key Points
- Woods, 50, appeared in Martin County, Florida, on Wednesday morning and entered a no contest plea to a reduced charge described as intentional or reckless driving.
- The court convicted him immediately, suspended his driving licence for five years, and fined him US$1,500 over his refusal to take a urine test after the crash.
- Judge Darren Steele warned Woods that if he drove during the suspension period, he would be sent straight back to jail for public safety reasons.
- The crash happened in late March on Jupiter Island, where Woods was driving a Range Rover SUV, tried to steer around a cleaning truck ahead, struck its rear and rolled over.
- Police said his breath test was negative, but officers found prescription opioid painkillers in his pocket; Woods said he had taken prescribed medication for chronic pain after years of back and leg surgeries.
Why It Matters
The case removes immediate uncertainty over the criminal proceedings, but it also adds another driving-related incident to Woods' long injury-hit final phase as a player. For sports audiences in Hong Kong, the outcome matters because his March crash had already disrupted his planned return to competition and shifted attention back to his health and off-course troubles.