Troubled golf legend Tiger Woods may qualify for Palm Beach County’s first-time DUI offender program, enabling him to avoid performing community service or jail time.
In lieu of prison, the 14-time major winner would enroll in a 12 months monitoring program which, after completion, his DUI charges would be dropped and his case closed.
“Looking at the facts of Tiger’s case, I don’t see any reason why he should not be offered entry into the program,” attorney Steven Bell, a specialist in DUI cases in Palm Beach County, told USA TODAY Sports. “When you look at the probable cause affidavit, the case is very similar to the cases I’ve handled where my clients have been allowed entry into the program.”
On May 29 the world’s former number one golfer was found sleeping at the wheel of his vehicle in Jupiter Florida. He told police at the time of his arrest, that he thought he was in California. A leaked video showed a confused Woods heavily slurring his words. Though testing showed no alcohol in Woods’s system, police did find evidence of prescription drugs. The golf icon told police he was on Xanax and other prescribed medications.
Woods’playing career has been dramatically curtailed by a series of back and knee operations over the last few years. Making it quite conceivable that he developed a dependency on pain killing medication during that time.
On July 3 the beleaguered golfer announced that he completed an in-patient treatment program to help him deal more effectively with his sleep disorder and pain management issues. “I will continue to tackle this going forward with my doctors, family and friends. I am so very thankful for all of the support I’ve received,” Woods stated.
In order to qualify for the monitoring program, Woods would have to plead guilty to reckless driving and agree to other conditions, USA TODAY reported.