A probable cause affidavit from the Jupiter Police Department released on Tuesday gives details about Tiger Woods‘ arrest for driving under the influence in Florida early Monday morning. According to the affidavit, Woods was found asleep at the wheel of a car that was pulled over on the side of the road with the engine running just after 2 am. Woods said that he hadn’t been drinking, and police records back that up. However, alcohol isn’t the only substance that can get someone a DUI, and between admitting to being on prescription medications and exhibiting signs of impairment like confusion and slurred speech, there’s a decent chance Woods will face a penalty for his actions.
According to the affidavit, “Woods was asleep at the wheel and had to be woken up.” Additionally, he was allegedly having difficulty speaking and didn’t know where he was. While he took a Breathalyzer test that showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.00%, he still failed a sobriety test by being unable to successfully walk a straight line or stand on one leg.
Florida state law says that a person can be guilty of driving under the influence even if they’re are not in the act of driving, so long as they are “in actual physical control of a vehicle.” Since Woods was behind the wheel and the engine was running, that would qualify. The law also says that DUI covers not just alcoholic beverages, but chemical substances and controlled substances as well. It remains to be seen what was in Woods’ system at the time, but he allegedly told police that he had prescriptions for four different drugs, including Vicodin, which contains hydrocodone, a controlled substance under Florida law. Woods’ admission, taken with his signs of being impaired, provided the probable cause needed to charge him, and is pretty strong evidence to use against him at trial, should the case go that far.
Woods said in a statement released through his publicist, “I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions,” adding, “I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again.” That attitude would make it seem like he’ll probably reach some sort of plea agreement, but if he doesn’t, he could face up to six months in jail and a fine ranging between $500 and $1,000.
Besides the DUI, however, Woods was also ticketed for parking improperly, which has nothing to do with being under the influence.
Woods is scheduled for arraignment on July 5.
[Mugshot via Palm Beach County]
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