Police Report Details Tiger Woods' State During Incident

Tiger Woods' recent car incident is raising even more questions now that newly released police records have revealed what deputies say they noticed in the moments after his vehicle flipped. What began as a shocking roadside wreck is now turning into a far more troubling story...

Tiger Woods was involved in an incident on Jupiter Island on March 27, 2026. Within hours, the golf icon was facing charges that aren't unfamiliar, but he and another driver faced danger. And the crash even attracted the president's attention.

It was around 2 p.m. ET when Woods was driving a Land Rover along a two-lane road in Jupiter Island, according to authorities. Sheriff John Budensiek of Martin County later explained that the golfer struck the rear of a utility pressure-washing trailer while attempting to overtake the vehicle.

The impact flipped the SUV and sent it tumbling. Despite the 30 mph speed limit, Woods must have been traveling way too fast for this to happen. According to Budensiek, the vehicle landed on its side and skidded a significant distance before coming to a halt.

Authorities ended up placing Woods under arrest, and he was then taken to the Martin County Jail. Under Florida law, he was expected to remain there for eight hours. Early on March 28, authorities confirmed that he had been released on bond after being held for the mandatory period.

The charges, Budensiek said, are not felonies. Even so, the image of one of golf's biggest names spending the night in jail after walking away from a rollover crash was enough to keep the story racing across headlines. And as that happened, another detail started drawing attention for a different reason.

One Question Was Answered Quickly

With Woods' personal life now under intense public interest again, there was immediate curiosity about whether anyone had been in the SUV with him. That part, at least, was cleared up fast.

The golfer was alone when the crash happened, police later confirmed. His girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and her daughters, Kai and Chloe, were not in the car, according to a source who spoke to Page Six.

A Split-Second Moment Before Everything Changed

As recent police paperwork unfolds line by line, the story becomes much more serious, and the most eyebrow-raising detail doesn't arrive until much later…

Friday's crash began, according to a newly released police affidavit, when Woods told officers he had glanced down at his cell phone while changing the radio station. That moment, investigators say, came just before his vehicle clipped the pickup truck towing a trailer and rolled over.

The incident has now led to serious charges, as Woods has since been charged with driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a lawful urinalysis test, and property damage.

The details, laid out in a New York Times article, paint a scene that grew more concerning the longer officers interacted with him. According to Sheriff's Deputy Tatiana Levenar's report, Woods said he had been driving from his residence in Jupiter, Florida. He also said he did not realize the vehicle in front of him had slowed down because he was looking at his phone.

The crash itself was described in stark terms: Police said a Ford F-150 towing a trailer had slowed to turn right into a driveway when Woods, who was driving a black Land Rover, moved into oncoming traffic while trying to get around the truck.

Investigators said the front right bumper of Woods' vehicle struck the back left of the trailer. From there, the Land Rover lost control and flipped onto the driver's side. Jeromy Bullard, the recently identified truck driver, told police he had his right turn signal on.

Bullard also said Woods could not get out through the driver's side door because the SUV had landed on that side. The truck driver and another unnamed person reportedly then went to help Woods as he climbed out through the passenger side.

Remarkably, neither driver reported injuries. But the physical condition officers observed afterward has quickly become a major part of the investigation…

Inside the Roadside Questioning

Levenar wrote that Woods was "sweating profusely" as he was being questioned in the back seat of a vehicle that had "cool air flowing." Officers at the scene said they observed "several signs of impairment" while speaking with him.

Woods was then asked to undergo a criminal DUI investigation, including field sobriety exercises. When officers asked whether he had any medical conditions, Woods reportedly said he had undergone seven back surgeries and more than 20 operations on his leg.

He was also wearing a compression sleeve over his right knee. That, of course, added another layer to the roadside scene. Woods reportedly told officers that he has a limp and that his ankle "seizes" while walking. He stated this when the police had asked if he was able to perform tasks such as walking and lifting his leg.

Still, the affidavit says officers found his movements troubling. "Woods' movement was lethargic and slow," the report reads. It continues, "While walking, I observed Woods limping and stumbling to the right…"

Additionally, when Woods removed his sunglasses and hat, officers reported that his eyes were bloodshot and glassy.

He told them he had not consumed any alcohol, and that was consistent with the breathalyzer results, which did not show alcohol use. However, when asked whether he takes prescription medication, Woods replied, "I take a few."

The affidavit says the condition for which the medication was prescribed — as well as the medication name itself — was redacted. Woods also said he takes ibuprofen. He further stated that he had taken his prescription medication earlier that morning.

And yet, in another detail that makes the encounter even more unusual, the affidavit said that while officers were speaking to him, Woods appeared "extremely alert and talkative."

It also noted that he had hiccups "during the entire investigation." Although Woods appeared alert during the sobriety exercises, officers said he had to be continually reminded of instructions. The affidavit also states that police believed his normal faculties were impaired and that he was unable to safely operate a motor vehicle. That conclusion led to his arrest.

A Discovery That Changed the Tone of the Case

And then came the detail that makes this entire case even more explosive… During a search after the arrest, officers found two white pills inside Woods' left pants pocket. The pills were identified by their markings and submitted as evidence.

Police reported that the pills were hydrocodone, which is a semi-synthetic opioid painkiller taken orally and is often associated with the discontinued brand name Vicodin. That discovery immediately adds weight to a case already shadowed by Woods' past.

When Woods was arrested in May 2017 on suspicion of driving under the influence after he was found asleep at the wheel on the side of the road, a toxicology report found hydrocodone in his system along with four other drugs.

Woods ended up seeking help for prescription drugs after that incident by checking into a clinic. The superstar golfer completed treatment that summer.

This time, however, one major question may remain unanswered: It is unclear exactly what substances Tiger Woods had in his system at the time of Friday's crash, because Woods refused a urinalysis test, and so a full report will not become available as part of the investigation.

What started as a distracted-driving explanation has now spiraled into a far more serious portrait, one involving a rolled SUV, visible signs of impairment, a refusal to provide a urine sample, and hydrocodone pills in his pocket. Woods' first court date is scheduled for April 23. And with the affidavit now out in the open, this story may be just getting started.

His Past Feels Close Again

Woods has been involved in multiple car accidents before, and some of them changed the course of both his career and his private life.

In February 2021, he survived another rollover crash in California that left him with serious leg injuries and led to emergency surgery. The aftermath sidelined him for 15 months and added to the physical setbacks that have repeatedly interrupted his comeback efforts.

There was also the 2017 arrest in Jupiter, Florida, when he eventually entered a guilty plea for reckless driving. And before that came the 2009 crash outside his home, the one that led to a shocking collapse of his private life.

Attention from Washington

The timing of this incident has made it all even more striking, as Woods had finally stepped back into the professional arena on Tuesday, March 24, ending a year-long hiatus by participating in the final night of the indoor "TGL" league.

After that appearance, he had reportedly mentioned his hope of recovering in time to compete in the Masters tournament next month.

As news of the crash spread, it moved beyond sports coverage and into the wider political world. President Donald Trump, who is close to Woods and who is his girlfriend's ex-father-in-law, reacted publicly when reporters asked about the incident.

"I feel so badly [sic]. He's got some difficulty," the president said. "There was an accident. That's all I know. He's a very close friend of mine, he's an amazing person, an amazing man."

As far as this latest incident is concerned, all that remains now is to wait for what comes next. The crash is over, but the fallout may now cloud what was supposed to be his next step back onto the course.