Tiger Woods handed 5-year driving ban, $1000 fine after shocking rollover crash

Tiger Woods told the arresting officer that he had looked down at his phone and changed the radio station before hitting the truck
Tiger Woods appeared in County Judge Darren Steele's courtroom for a plea hearing from an arrest in March, at the Martin County Courthouse in Stuart, Fla, Wednesday, September 2, 2026 (AP Photos)
Tiger Woods appeared in County Judge Darren Steele's courtroom for a plea hearing from an arrest in March, at the Martin County Courthouse in Stuart, Fla, Wednesday, September 2, 2026 (AP Photos)

STUART, FLORIDA: Tiger Woods will be off the road for the next five years after reaching a plea agreement over the rollover crash that put him under investigation for suspected DUI.

Woods pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 2, to reckless driving and refusing to submit to a lawful test, accepting a $1,000 fine and a lengthy driving suspension while prosecutors agreed to drop the DUI charges stemming from the March incident.



Plea deal ends DUI case against Tiger Woods

The agreement represents a significant development in a case that had initially centered on whether Woods was driving under the influence.

Under the terms accepted in court, Woods received a five-year driving suspension on each of the two charges, with the suspensions running at the same time rather than consecutively. He was also fined $1,000.

The judge warned Woods that driving while his license is suspended could expose him to jail time.

Woods appeared in court alongside his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, as reporters gathered outside.

Inside the courtroom, his participation was brief. He confirmed that he had read and understood the agreement before the plea was accepted.

The outcome allows the DUI allegations to be dropped while leaving Woods with convictions related to reckless driving and his refusal to take a lawful test.



Tiger Woods' March crash raises eyebrows

On March 27, Tiger Woods was arrested after his Land Rover overturned on South Beach Road near his Jupiter Island home in Florida.

The crash happened when Woods was traveling behind a Ford F-150 towing a pressure-cleaning trailer.

Investigators said the truck slowed and signaled to make a right turn, but Woods crossed double solid lines while attempting to pass and struck the trailer.

His SUV then rolled onto its driver’s side and slid along the road. Woods was able to exit through the passenger side, and neither he nor the truck’s occupants suffered injuries.

The circumstances became more serious when deputies assessed Woods at the scene.

STUART, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 2: Tiger Woods attends a court hearing at Martin County Courthouse on September 2, 2026 in Stuart, Florida. Tiger Woods is expected to change his plea in the case over a DUI crash that occurred on March 27, 2026, on Jupiter Island in Martin County. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods attends a court hearing at Martin County Courthouse on September 2, 2026, in Stuart, Florida (Saul Martinez/Getty Images)

The arrest affidavit said he appeared lethargic and had bloodshot, glassy eyes, dilated pupils, sweating and difficulty following instructions during sobriety exercises.

Woods told officers he had been looking at his phone and changing the radio shortly before the crash.

He also said he had taken prescription medication. Deputies found two pills in his pocket.

Woods' breath test showed no alcohol, but he refused to provide a urine sample for further testing.

He was subsequently arrested on DUI-related charges and released after spending the required time in custody.

This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Office shows the overturned vehicle in a rollover crash which involved Tiger Woods in Jupiter Island, Fla., on Friday, March 27, 2026. (Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP)
This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Office shows the overturned vehicle in a rollover crash which involved Tiger Woods in Jupiter Island, Fla, on Friday, March 27, 2026 (Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP)

In the weeks after the crash, Woods said he was stepping away to seek treatment.

The case ultimately moved toward a plea agreement, with Woods appearing in court on September 2 and receiving a five-year driver's license suspension.

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