Tiger Woods walked into a Florida courtroom Wednesday morning and made a decision that closes one chapter of his legal troubles.
The 50-year-old golf legend accepted a plea deal that strips him of his driving privileges for five years, marking the end of his battle against DUI charges stemming from a March rollover crash near his Jupiter Island home. Instead of fighting the original misdemeanour charges, Woods agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving and refusal to submit to a lawful test, both of which carry a five-year driving ban running concurrently.
Woods faced $1,000 in fines for the first charge and $500 for the second, a relatively light financial penalty compared to the potential consequences of a full trial. His attorney Douglas Duncan stood beside him throughout the proceedings, while his girlfriend Vanessa Trump offered quiet support from the courtroom. The March 27 incident that triggered all of this began when Woods’ Land Rover clipped a truck carrying a pressure-washer trailer, causing the truck to flip onto its side.
At the scene, deputies found two loose hydrocodone pills on his person and noted signs of impairment, including bloodshot eyes and slow movement.