A Florida State Legal professional has mentioned Tiger Woods might have confronted jail throughout an impassioned handle on the small print behind the golf icon’s driving ban.
Woods has been banned from driving for 5 years and fined after the sporting famous person modified his plea over a crash in Florida on March 27.
Emphasizing that he would reasonably have been fishing than chatting with the press, Thomas Bakkedahl defined that the 50-year-old would have confronted a 60-day jail time period for not giving a urine pattern.
The American reached an settlement to plea no contest to a lowered cost of reckless driving and refusal to undergo a lawful check. He was ordered to pay $1,000 (£742).
Tiger Woods: What Florida State Legal professional mentioned
“I’m not an fool – though my spouse might disagree – and I do know that persons are on the market and so they’re saying ‘he’s going to get Mr Woods particular consideration because of his wealth and his fame and his recognition,’” mentioned Bakkedahl.
“After which there are going to be different folks, like a man I rode up on the elevator with this morning, who’re going to say, ‘Why within the hell don’t you allow this man alone? Why are you trying to get your quarter-hour of fame on the again of Tiger Woods?’
“Let me be very clear about one thing: I’d reasonably be nearly anyplace on this planet than right here right now in entrance of you. I’d prefer to be out on Lake Okeechobee pitching a worm into the Kissimmee grass, catching bass.
“However I’m right here right now as a result of I’m going to let you know how this technique works. What I’ve come to understand over 35 years is the general public actually doesn’t know the way we do what we do or why we do what we do.
“That’s the purpose, as a result of I believe that the general public’s confidence within the legal justice system is paramount.
“To the extent we lose religion within the legal justice system and in our courts and within the rule of regulation, you can not have a thriving democracy. Now, persons are most likely saying, ‘Effectively, you type of overstate your case.’ So be it. I’ll by no means get this platform once more, so I’m going to do it.”
Tiger Woods crash case: Burden ‘exceedingly excessive’
“The calculus is that this: two elements,” outlined Bakkedahl. “There may be the regulation. I don’t make the regulation. That is most likely not going to be a shock to you guys, however what we do just isn’t mind surgical procedure as prosecutors.
“I don’t have the authority to ignore the regulation, ignore the regulation, change the regulation. I’m not a progressive prosecutor.
“I comply with the regulation as created by the legislature. The legislature tells me what’s a criminal offense within the state of Florida, after which I apply that regulation. Quite simple. Not very arduous. Open a guide and, when you can learn, you understand the regulation.
“Quantity two: the details. I don’t create details. Information are dropped at me. Info is dropped at me. I digest that data.
I’m searching for – I consider – that there’s an immutable, goal reality. We might take a look at details and have completely different interpretations of what they inform us, however I take the data that’s given to me by regulation enforcement, by different sources.
“I don’t get to fabricate details, I can’t conceal details, I can’t ignore details. As a prosecutor, what you do is you’re taking the details and also you overlay them with the regulation, and you then make plenty of determinations.
“What I’m certifying upon submitting is that I’ve a good-faith foundation to consider I can show the case past and to the exclusion of each cheap doubt — the very best burden of proof at regulation.
“And you understand why it’s that method? It’s the very best commonplace of proof as a result of I’ve the authority, by advantage of my mere signature, to take your property, to take your freedom and, in excessive situations and circumstances, take your very life.
“So the burden is exceedingly excessive. The usual burden of proof past an affordable doubt is similar in a misdemeanor as it’s in a loss of life penalty case. That prime commonplace of proof carries all through.
“So when a case comes into my workplace and we make a submitting resolution, it’s not static. The case doesn’t stay unchanged or in the identical state because it was the minute it got here into my workplace, as a result of issues proceed to occur.
“Many occasions, defendants have a distinct tackle a case and on details than you do, and their attorneys would possibly current you with extra data.
“Chances are you’ll subpoena data, you could execute search warrants, you could interact in any variety of actions which have the next impression on that case.
“I’ve to be open to new data. I don’t have the luxurious – we return to listening – I don’t have the luxurious of choosing and selecting my details.”
Tiger Woods case ‘uniquely harder’
“Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods was charged with driving beneath the affect right here in Martin County again on March twenty seventh of 2026,” identified Bakkedahl.
“For DUI, which lots of you understand means driving beneath the affect – in some jurisdictions it’s referred to as driving impaired, each jurisdiction has a distinct identify – I’m going to let you know how we show it.
“What are the weather? How do you show DUI? Fairly easy. The defendant – the state should show past and to the exclusion of an affordable doubt – drove a motorized vehicle.
“No one’s disputing the truth that Mr Woods drove his black Vary Rover on March twenty seventh, 2026 on Jupiter Island the place he had a wreck.
“The second component: the defendant drove or operated that motorized vehicle, that truck, whereas beneath the affect of a managed substance.
“That, from a prosecution perspective and a proof perspective, makes the case distinctive and uniquely harder to show.
“So the very first thing is: is he beneath the affect of a managed substance? I’ve to show that past an affordable doubt.
“Lastly, I’ve to show that on account of him being beneath the affect of a specific managed substance, his regular schools had been impaired.
“Meaning his skill to see, to stroll, to speak, to evaluate distances, to drive a automotive, to interact in these actions that all of us do commonly every day. I’ve obtained to show impairment.
“This case turned out to be a very tough DUI to show… you’ve all seen the movies of Mr Woods and his efficiency on these checks, and also you should be scratching your head saying, ‘What the hell are these?
[People think] ‘I’ve by no means seen this earlier than. I’m accustomed to: stand there, tilt your head again, shut your eyes, depend to 30, stroll the road, carry your leg,’ so forth and so forth.
“What makes this case harder is that Mr Woods has had a number of again surgical procedures and a big variety of surgical procedures and operations on his leg.
“The officer on scene elected to manage a set of discipline sobriety checks that didn’t require him to face.
“You noticed these checks. One in all them was, as I name derisively, the patty-cake check, the place he needed to pat his arms backwards and forwards.
“You possibly can assessment these independently by yourself and make a judgment. Does it look to me like he’s following directions?
“Is he doing it as he was instructed? Is he stopping? Is he messing up? You possibly can draw your personal conclusions about how he carried out.
“Our opinion was that within the efficiency of these discipline sobriety checks, he didn’t carry out properly. Now, the protection would have a distinct place, clearly.
“They’d let you know that the character of the checks, the directions had been extraordinarily complicated. They’re not conventional.
“There are additionally questions within the studies that cops point out the truth that he had an unsteady gait or how he walked.
“Once more, there can be harmless explanations for that from the protection as properly, which is, once more, relating again to his accidents.
“So I point out this to you to elucidate the difficulties we’ve got in establishing that third component I talked to you about, which is impairment.
“Lastly, we’ve got to ascertain that he was impaired by a managed substance. I already mentioned with you the difficulties of that.”
Tiger Woods: ‘We don’t know precisely what was in bloodstream’
“On some events, you might have a urinalysis,” added Bakkedahl. “As you all are conscious, Mr Woods refused the urinalysis check. So we don’t know precisely what was in his bloodstream on the time he was driving.
“Nevertheless, we’ve got another proof and data that we will depend on. What was my case on each ‘beneath the affect’ and ‘impairment’?
“Right here’s what it was. He mentioned he took Vicodin. Vicodin is a managed substance beneath federal and state regulation. It’s hydrocodone.
“We all know from our investigation a few issues that we did that I do know you had been conscious of. We investigated, we obtained pharmacy data, which within the curiosity of defending his privateness – this isn’t about embarrassing anyone – which have been sealed by the court docket, however they replicate a lawful prescription.
“We all know how a lot was prescribed and the way it was prescribed, and primarily based upon that and the truth that when Mr Woods was arrested, he had two hydrocodone tablets in his pocket, we all know he was taking it pursuant to the prescription, a undeniable fact that we have to take into accounts that we didn’t know initially.
“How did we show that he’s beneath the affect on this case? We needed to rely virtually solely on the truth that he mentioned he was.
“That’s fairly good reality. I’ll take it any day. Additionally, circumstantially, we will depend on the very fact he had two hydrocodone capsules in his pocket. That’s fairly sturdy proof.
“Was he impaired? The impairment should be primarily based solely and solely upon all of those elements I talked to you about already.
“Each toxicologists reviewing the data and proof supplied to them had been of the opinion that there was inadequate proof – I don’t make that up, I settle for what they apply to me – of his impairment.
“The protection professional indicated as a conclusion of his report – which is comparatively temporary, it didn’t require a lot, there’s no toxicology to do per se – that Mr Woods, on account of his use of this specific kind of substance, had constructed up what they name a pharmacological tolerance.
“The medical doctors indicated on account of Mr Woods’ long-term use, he had constructed up a tolerance. If he has a tolerance, then it doesn’t impair him.
“And if he’s not impaired, I can’t show DUI. And if I can’t show DUI, I’d higher provide you with one other plan.
“If Mr Woods took the prescription as prescribed, perhaps, primarily based on the timeline that we subsequently would have developed, he would have now not been impacted or considerably impacted by his medicine.”
Tiger Woods plea change: ‘He’s to not drive’
“I liken plea negotiations, if you’ll, to mutually assured destruction,” prompt Bakkedahl. “Our plan was to refile the case as a reckless, as a result of I believe it’s reckless and irresponsible to drive a automobile whereas beneath the affect of something to the extent that it could even be de minimis, to function a automobile beneath the affect after which interact in a site visitors accident.
“Our ace within the gap was he refused to supply a urine pattern, which is a criminal offense within the state of Florida. Why is it mutually assured destruction? As a result of there are a variety of issues the protection might have completed to get rid of a number of the proof that we’d have been in a position to show at trial.
“Had they completed that, my complete case could be gone. Whereas, I really feel assured that had we tried the case, we might have at a minimal been profitable in making an attempt him for failure to supply a urine pattern, which is a secondary misdemeanor punishable by 60 days in jail.
“That’s the destruction that’s out there on each ends. And so what occurs within the legal justice system day-after-day of the week is we interact in these actions, these kind of negotiations.
“Mr Woods admitted to his actions. He admitted to driving a reckless driving, a second offense. He was fined. His license is suspended for a interval of 5 years.
“If I can ship any message to Mr Woods, it’s merely this: of all of the folks on this planet who shouldn’t get behind the wheel of a automotive, it’s the gentleman who is without doubt one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.
“Someone will see him, whether or not it’s in Georgia or Nevada or New York or the place have you ever. He’s to not drive a automotive.
“So I’m not right here to defend what I did. I’m fully assured and comfy with the decision of this case.
“You recognize what? As we speak, I resolved a case involving a person who drives a golf ball for a dwelling. Tomorrow, I’ll resolve a case in the identical method for a person who drives a nail for a dwelling.”
Tiger Woods crash: What occurred in DUI incident?
Police bodycam footage confirmed the 15-time main winner asking if he was being arrested and being handcuffed by police after hitting a truck and crashing his automotive in Florida.
Woods was charged with driving beneath the affect, property harm and refusal to undergo a lawful check final month and submitted a written plea of not responsible via his legal professionals days later.
“I do consider your regular schools are impaired, and also you’re beneath an unknown substance,” Martin County Sheriff’s deputy Tatiana Levenar instructed Woods on the scene.
Tiger Woods bodycam footage: What occurred in arrest?
Woods co-operated with police, kneeling to inform them that he had “appeared down at my telephone” and “impulsively, growth.”
When officers discovered capsules in his pocket, Woods – who has had a number of surgical procedures on his again – instructed them they had been painkillers.
The capsules had been hydrocodone, which is a prescription opioid used to deal with ache. He denied consuming alcohol on the day of the crash however admitted he had taken “a couple of” drugs and mentioned he had nothing else on his individual earlier than being pushed away.
A witness instructed an officer that Woods had “saved coming” as he approached in his automobile earlier than the crash.
“I used to be on the brink of flip in,” they mentioned. “He was coming quick. I don’t suppose he was wanting, that’s the factor.”
Tiger Woods crash: How golf icon crashed
Woods was in a position to depart his Land Rover by crawling out of the passenger facet. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed that neither Woods nor the driving force of the opposite automobile concerned suffered accidents.
He had been trying to overhaul a strain cleansing truck on a two-lane street close to his dwelling however clipped the trailer.
Officers reported that Woods appeared impaired. He handed a breathalyser check however declined to supply a urine pattern.
After the crash, an officer wrote within the arrest affidavit that Woods was sweating closely, had “extraordinarily dilated” pupils and was transferring in a “torpid and sluggish” method.
Tiger Woods internet value
Since successful his first golf main in 1997, Woods has persistently been named among the many athletes with the biggest internet worths in sporting historical past.
Monetary consultants Forbes at present put his internet value at $1.5 billion (round £1.29bn).
