Golfing icon Tiger Woods was arrested on DUI charges following a dramatic vehicle rollover on Jupiter Island, Florida, that resulted in his Land Rover resting on its side on a narrow residential roadway. The 50-year-old sports star was taken into custody by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office after the incident, which happened when Woods reportedly struck a pressure-cleaner trailer during a high-speed passing attempt.
The accident took place shortly before 2 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2026, along South Beach Road, a two-lane street with a posted 30 mph limit. Woods’ Land Rover came up behind a northbound truck as its driver started turning into a driveway. According to investigators, Woods attempted to overtake the truck but collided with the trailer being pulled behind it, flipping his SUV onto the driver’s side and sending it sliding across the road surface. Woods exited through the passenger side window and walked away from the damaged vehicle unharmed.
On site, officers found Woods displaying indications of impairment—Sheriff John Budensiek characterized him as “lethargic”—although a breathalyzer examination showed 0.00, indicating no alcohol present. A Drug Recognition Expert determined that Woods’ condition probably resulted from medication or drugs. Woods consented to the breathalyzer examination but declined a urine test, resulting in a second charge: refusal to submit to a lawful test. Officers discovered no substances inside the vehicle.
Officers transported Woods to the Martin County Jail in Stuart at approximately 3 p.m., where Florida law mandated he stay for no less than eight hours. He paid bail and exited the facility just before midnight, leaving in the passenger seat of a black SUV through a crowd of photographers.
President Donald Trump commented on the arrest while arriving in Miami for an investment summit. “I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump told reporters. “Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man. But some difficulty.” Woods is in a relationship with Vanessa Trump, 48, the president’s former daughter-in-law and ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr.
Woods, valued at $1.5 billion by Forbes, has accumulated approximately $1.8 billion before taxes throughout his professional golf career—establishing him as the richest golfer ever and just the second active athlete to achieve billionaire status, alongside LeBron James. He established a PGA Tour record with $121 million in tournament earnings, though roughly 90% of his fortune derives from endorsements and business investments rather than competition prizes.
This represents Woods’ second DUI arrest. In May 2017, Jupiter police discovered him unconscious behind the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz and needed to rouse him. A toxicology analysis from that event showed five drugs in his system: Vicodin, Dilaudid, Xanax, Ambien, and THC. Woods subsequently apologized to his family, friends, and fans, attributing it to an unanticipated reaction to prescribed medications. He entered a guilty plea to reckless driving and completed a diversion program that cleared his record.
The athlete also endured a catastrophic single-vehicle accident on February 23, 2021, in Rolling Hills Estates, California, that destroyed his Genesis GV80 and nearly resulted in the loss of his right leg. Based on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office findings, Woods was driving between 84 and 87 mph in a 45 mph zone when he lost control. He sustained open fractures to his lower right leg, necessitating emergency surgery, a rod in his tibia, and screws and pins in his foot and ankle. Woods remained hospitalized for three weeks and spent three months recuperating in a hospital-type bed at his residence. Officials concluded that the crash demonstrated no signs of impairment and was simply an accident resulting from excessive speed.
Only three days prior to his arrest, Woods participated in the TGL Finals at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens—his first competitive action in over a year. His Jupiter Links Golf Club team was defeated by the Los Angeles Golf Club, which won the SoFi Cup with a decisive 9-2 victory. Woods had suggested that participating in The Masters remained a possibility, but the esteemed tournament started on April 9 and Woods did not attend, instead flying to Zurich, Switzerland for rehab.
Sheriff Budensiek observed that the crash could have been considerably more severe. “Had there been somebody moving in the opposite direction, we would not be having a conversation saying there was no injuries,” he said during his press conference. “This could have been a lot worse.” The confined roadway provides minimal space for drivers to maneuver aside, and investigators stressed that oncoming traffic could have made the incident fatal. The truck driver sustained no injuries.
Woods’ long-standing agent, Mark Steinberg, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The arrest contributes another chaotic chapter to Woods’ personal history, which has featured widely reported difficulties with pain medication following numerous surgeries to prolong his playing career. Despite these obstacles, Woods remains one of golf’s most recognizable and influential personalities—a 15-time major champion who revolutionized the sport and continues to generate enormous interest whenever he steps onto a course.
Whether this latest incident disrupts what remained of his comeback attempts or triggers a more serious confrontation with his health challenges, the golf world—and millions of fans who have followed his extraordinary career—will be watching closely.