Florida prosecutors will get access to Tiger Woods’ prescription records in his ongoing impaired driving case following the golfer’s arrest in March, a judge ruled Tuesday.
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In a brief hearing in Martin County court, Woods’ defense team and a prosecutor announced they agreed on a protective order addressing privacy concerns and keeping some records out of the general public’s view.
“While the state is legally entitled to the records, the defendant still maintains a constitutional privacy interest in the prescription records as it pertains to the general public,” defense attorney Douglas Duncan told the court.
Circuit Court Judge Darren Steele thanked both sides during the Tuesday hearing “for their professionalism and preparation” before granting the order.
Woods was arrested at the scene of the March car crash in which he struck another vehicle and rolled his Land Rover, officials said.
He’s pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors: Driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
No one was injured during the incident.
Body cam video shows Tiger Woods after he crashed his vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., on March 27.Martin County Sheriff’s Office
Authorities say that Woods, a resident of Jupiter Island, was trying to pass a pressure cleaner truck on a two-lane road on March 27 when he clipped the truck’s back end and caused a rollover. Woods ultimately crawled out of the passenger side of his Land Rover after the crash.
According to an incident report released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Woods said he did not realize the truck had slowed. The report said the deputy “observed several signs of impairment” and requested that another deputy conduct a DUI investigation.
The report said Woods struggled to perform the field sobriety tests and was “limping and stumbling to the right” during one exercise. Woods told the deputy that he had had multiple operations on his back and leg and that his ankle seizes when he walks.
In body camera video released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy asks, “How much have you had to drink today?” Woods responds: “None.”
He did, however, say he had Motrin, ibuprofen and other medications that were redacted.
Authorities later said they found hydrocodone pills in Woods’ pocket, according to the incident report. Hydrocodone is used to treat pain.
While Woods took a breath test, he refused to take a urine test, leading to this legal fight for his medication records.
Woods stands next to his overturned vehicle following the incident.Jason Oteri / AP
This was at least the third time Woods has had to interact with law enforcement, involving a car.
Back in 2021, Woods was seriously injured when he was behind the wheel of a Genesis GV80 that crashed in a coastal Los Angeles County community. He suffered multiple leg injuries. And in 2017, police found Woods asleep behind the wheel of his car, which had sustained some damage to its driver’s side, officials said.
Woods claimed in 2017 that he had not been drinking, but had suffered an “unexpected reaction to prescribed medications.”