Tiger Woods was charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test in March 2026 after crashing his SUV
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NEED TO KNOW
- After Tiger Woods crashed his SUV in 2009, a number of women alleged that they had affairs with the golfer
- Woods and his then-wife, Elin Nordegren, divorced in 2010
- The famous golfer was arrested and later charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test in March 2026
Tiger Woods is once again making headlines following another run-in with the law.
On March 27, the golf legend was involved in a rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Fla., and was arrested on suspicion of DUI. (He was later charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.)
Woods has been involved in several other public incidents over the years. In 2010, he finalized his divorce from Elin Nordegren, with whom he shares two children, after revelations that he had engaged in multiple extramarital affairs.
He has also been involved in multiple crashes over the years. In May 2017, he was arrested and later pled guilty to reckless driving after being found unresponsive in his Mercedes-Benz. In February 2021, Woods suffered severe injuries after a high-speed rollover accident in California.
More recently, Woods’ personal life returned to the spotlight amid a legal dispute with his ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman. She filed two lawsuits against him, including one seeking to void a nondisclosure agreement.
Here's everything to know about Tiger Woods' controversies and legal issues over the years.
Woods crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant in 2009
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On Nov. 27, 2009, Woods crashed his Cadillac Escalade just outside his Florida home, setting off one of the biggest scandals of his career.
According to reports at the time, Woods left his house in the early hours. However, before he made it off his street, he lost control of the SUV — driving over a curb, striking a fire hydrant and ultimately crashing into a neighbor’s tree.
Woods' then-wife, Nordegren, used two golf clubs to shatter the vehicle's rear windows. Though she later told police that she was trying to help rescue Woods from the vehicle, it was widely speculated that Nordegren had broken the windows after an argument about his infidelities following a report from the National Enquirer a few days prior.
Woods was never charged with a DUI in connection with the crash. He was ultimately cited for careless driving, was fined $164 and had four points added to his license, per Golf Digest.
He and Elin Nordegren divorced after his extramarital affairs became public
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The fallout from the November 2009 crash was swift. Within days, intense public scrutiny gave way to a wave of revelations about Woods’ extramarital affairs.
As more women came forward, the number of alleged affairs quickly climbed into the double digits. Woods eventually admitted to the infidelity and announced he would take an “indefinite break from professional golf," per ABC News.
In February 2010, Woods delivered a nationally televised apology, acknowledging the depth of his actions.
"I knew my actions were wrong," he said. "I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself."
Woods continued, "I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled."
In August 2010, Woods and Nordegren finalized their divorce after nearly six years of marriage.
Woods was charged with a DUI in 2017, but it was later dropped
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After undergoing back surgery in April 2017, Woods was arrested in the early morning hours of May 29. Police found him unresponsive in his black Mercedes-Benz, which had visible damage, including two flat tires and a damaged front bumper.
According to the police report, Woods had no alcohol in his system — two breathalyzer tests registered a .000 blood alcohol content — but he said he had taken several prescription medications, including Vicodin. Officers said he appeared disoriented and failed multiple field sobriety tests, including walking a straight line and standing on one leg.
He was initially charged with a DUI, but later pleaded guilty to reckless driving as part of a plea deal with the DUI charge dropped. Woods also entered a treatment program to address his use of prescription medication.
“I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions. I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved,” Woods said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE at the time. “What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly."
He was sued after a bartender from his restaurant died in 2018
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Woods was named in a wrongful death lawsuit after Nicholas Immesberger, a bartender at his Florida restaurant, died in a December 2018 car crash.
According to the complaint, Immesberger finished his shift at The Woods in Jupiter but remained at the bar, where he was allegedly served alcohol to the point of severe intoxication. Hours later, he left for home and was involved in a fatal crash, TMZ and WPTV reported.
Immesberger, 24, had a blood alcohol level of .256 — more than three times the legal limit — and was not wearing a seatbelt, The Palm Beach Post reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“We’re all very sad that Nick passed away,” Woods told reporters at the 101st PGA Championship, according to Reuters. “It was a terrible night, a terrible ending, and just — we feel bad for him and his entire family. It’s very sad.”
Woods was ultimately dismissed from the lawsuit, which was later settled, per ESPN.
He crashed his SUV in 2021
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On Feb. 23, 2021, Woods was involved in a serious single-vehicle rollover crash in Southern California.
Authorities said his SUV struck a sign in the center divider, hit a tree and came to rest off the roadway. Woods sustained significant orthopedic injuries to his right leg and underwent emergency surgery.
Woods did not face any criminal charges in connection with the crash. Then-Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the incident was “purely an accident.”
"We don't contemplate any charges whatsoever," Villanueva said. "This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime. They do happen, unfortunately."
His ex-girlfriend filed two lawsuits against him
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In March 2023, news broke that Woods and his then-girlfriend, Herman, had split when she filed a lawsuit seeking to void a nondisclosure agreement she signed in 2017 at the start of their relationship. She cited the Speak Out Act, which allows NDAs to be challenged in cases involving sexual assault or harassment.
A judge denied her request two months later, ruling the dispute must remain private and proceed to arbitration under the NDA. Herman ultimately dropped her appeal and her sexual assault allegations in November 2023.
The filing followed a separate October 2022 lawsuit Herman brought against Woods' trust, Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust. She claimed there was an oral agreement allowing her to live there for five more years, while the trust argued she was only permitted to stay during the relationship.
In her court filings, Herman alleged that their relationship came to an end when Woods duped her into going on a fake vacation. She then claimed Woods' estate locked her out of the house, “removed her personal belongings, and informed her she could not return."
Herman sought $30 million in damages under Florida’s landlord-tenant laws. She dropped that lawsuit in June 2023.
Woods was arrested and charged with a DUI in March 2026
Credit: Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty ; Martin County Sheriff;s Department
Woods was involved in yet another rollover crash on March 27, 2026, near his home in Florida, which led to his arrest on suspicion of DUI.
Authorities said Woods was driving a Land Rover when he attempted to pass a truck towing a trailer, clipping the vehicle and causing his SUV to tip onto its side and slide along the road. He was able to exit the vehicle on his own, and no injuries were reported.
Responding officers noted "signs of impairment," though a breathalyzer test showed a .000 blood alcohol content, according to Martin County Sheriff John M. Budensiek. Woods refused to submit to a urinalysis test, Budensiek said.
Woods was taken into custody and released that same day. He was charged with DUI with property damage, as well as refusal to submit to a lawful test.
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