Tiger Woods Changes Plea in DUI Case, Loses License 5 Years
The golf legend pleaded to reduced charges in his March DUI arrest, agreeing to a five-year driver's license suspension.
Tiger Woods appeared in a Florida courtroom Wednesday to change his plea in his driving under the influence case, agreeing as part of a plea deal to a five-year suspension of his driver's license.
Woods had initially pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors amended the DUI charge to reckless driving, second offense, and the refusal charge to a careless driving citation.
The judge imposed the five-year license suspension on both charges, to run concurrently. "It is for the safety of the public," the judge told Woods in court. "There are no exceptions. If you were to drive for any reason at all, you would go immediately back to jail."
Woods' girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr., accompanied him to the hearing.
Woods was arrested in March following a rollover crash on Jupiter Island, Florida. Martin County officials said the March 27 accident occurred when Woods tried to pass a truck, clipping the trailer and causing his SUV to flip onto its side. No one was injured.
According to the probable cause affidavit, officers found two hydrocodone pills in Woods' pants pocket. A breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system, but Woods refused a urine test, which is used to detect drugs or medication, authorities said.
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