American golf legend, Tiger Woods has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors following a crash in Florida, the United States, earlier this year.
The 50-year-old golf star appeared before a Martin County court on Wednesday, where he pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of reckless driving and refusing to submit to a lawful test.
As part of the agreement, Woods will have his driver’s licence suspended for five years and will pay court costs and other fees.
The case stemmed from a March crash on Jupiter Island, north of Palm Beach, when Woods’ dark Land Rover collided with a truck towing a trailer and overturned.
According to officials, the truck driver was turning into a driveway from a two-lane road when he saw Woods approaching “at high speeds.” The driver attempted to move out of the way, but Woods’ vehicle “overtook” the truck before swerving and striking the rear of the trailer.
The SUV rolled onto its driver’s side, forcing Woods to climb out through a window. Neither Woods nor the truck driver sustained injuries.
Woods had initially pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence and refusing to submit to testing.
A no-contest plea does not amount to an admission of guilt, but the defendant does not contest the charges. It is treated as a conviction under the criminal justice system.
Following the crash, Woods said on social media that he was seeking treatment and acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” he wrote.
Woods arrived at Wednesday’s hearing accompanied by his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, who sat behind him during the proceedings.
The golfer left the courthouse without speaking to reporters, while his lawyer and prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The latest incident adds to Woods’ history of high-profile driving cases. In 2021, he was involved in a serious rollover crash in Southern California but was not criminally charged. He was also arrested on a DUI charge in Florida in 2017.
