Golfer Scottie Scheffler could face 10 years in prison as charges from Kentucky arrest 'not dropped'

KENTUCKY: World No 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler is scheduled to appear in court on June 3, facing serious legal trouble after his arrest during the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, as reported by The Daily Mail.

Despite speculation that charges might be dropped or reduced, Louisville Police have confirmed that Scheffler will be arraigned on four charges, including second-degree assault, which carries a potential 10-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000.

Scottie Scheffler's arrest details

During a recent press conference held on Thursday, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and police officials addressed the charges against the golf star, clarifying their intent to uphold the legal process rather than drop or reduce the charges.

Scheffler is set to be arraigned next month on charges of second-degree assault, which is classified as a Class C felony. If convicted, this could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Mayor Craig Greenberg emphasized the importance of respecting the legal process, stating, "We are all looking to move forward. But we have to respect the legal process. And that's what we are going to do. We are going to let that play out."

Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel disclosed that Detective Bryan Gillis did not activate his body-worn camera during the incident, which is a violation of police policy.

Officials released two new videos showing the moment Scheffler was handcuffed and arrested. However, they noted that there is no known footage of the initial interaction between Scheffler and the officers. This gap in the footage may become a critical point of contention as the case progresses through the legal system.

During the press conference, officials provided further details about the evidence related to the arrest. They released two new videos, one from a fixed pole camera on Shelbyville Road and another from the dashcam of a police car.

The footage from the pole camera shows Scheffler being stopped by a police officer who appears to hit his car as he tries to make his way into Valhalla. This incident seems to have occurred after his initial interaction with Detective Bryan Gillis. The video also captures Scheffler exiting his vehicle and being led away in handcuffs.

The dashcam footage, which is over 55 minutes long, does not clearly show the incident leading to Scheffler's arrest due to other vehicles obstructing the view. However, it does capture the moment Scheffler is taken away in handcuffs by the police.

In addition to the videos, law enforcement released a "body-worn camera failure to record form," which included testimony from Detective Gillis. According to Gillis's account:

"While directing traffic in front of Gate 1, the PGA personnel stopped a bus from entering Gate 1. I observed a vehicle traveling in the opposing lanes coming at me. I stopped the driver and advised him he could not proceed because of the bus. (Scheffler) demanded to be let in and proceeded forward against my directions. I was dragged/knocked down by the driver. I then proceeded to arrest the driver."

This testimony suggests that Scheffler disregarded the officer's instructions and proceeded in a manner that resulted in Gillis being dragged or knocked down, leading to Scheffler's arrest.

Following the brief press conference, during which neither the mayor nor the police took questions from the media, Scheffler's attorney released a strongly worded statement. The statement read:

"(This) won't impact my case at all. Our position is the same as it was last Friday. Scottie Scheffler didn't do anything wrong, we're not interested in settling the case, we'll either try it or it will be dismissed," he said.

"It's very simple. All the evidence that continues to come out continues to support what Scottie said all along - this was a chaotic situation and a miscommunication and he didn't do anything wrong," the attorney noted.

"We're prepared to litigate the case if we need to. If we don't need to, fine, but our position remains the same: it will either be dismissed or we'll go to trial... we'll let the process play out."

He added, "My role is to represent Scottie Scheffler and that's what I'll continue to do. Nothing has changed since my comment last week: he didn't do anything wrong. We will go to trial or the case will be dismissed. We have no interest in settling the case, there are no discussions regarding that. We're prepared to litigate as need be."

The police report stated that Scheffler did not follow instructions and drove away from Officer Bryan Gillis, resulting in the officer being dragged by the two-time Masters winner's car.

Scottie Scheffler's statement following release from jail

Meanwhile, Scheffler has issued a statement clarifying the events surrounding his detainment. Scheffler, booked on four charges by the Louisville Metro Police Department, was initially set to appear in court on Tuesday. However, his arraignment has been rescheduled for June 3.

In his statement, Scheffler said, "This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers. "

"It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today," he continued.

"Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective," Scheffler added.