Tiger Woods has spent more time in the news for his driving infractions than his golfing successes recently. Woods, who was arrested in May after he was found unconscious in his Mercedes-Benz in Palm Beach County, pleaded guilty to reckless driving recently, agreeing to enter a diversion program to settle a charge of driving under the influence that stemmed from the incident.
Woods, who did not test positive for alcohol but did have two painkillers, Xanax and Ambien in his toxicology report, was found in his car some fifteen miles from his house, according to an article by the LA Times.
The diversion program
Woods will spend the next year on probation, and will be required to undergo regular drug tests as part of his agreement. In addition, Woods was required to:
- Attend a defensive driving (DUI) school
- Perform 20 hours of community service
- Attend a workshop on the dangers of impaired driving, where victims shared their tragic stories
Woods has already completed these requirements, along with paying a $250 fine and associated court costs.
Palm Beach County has a first-time DUI offender program that Woods qualified for, wherein the DUI charge would be dropped based on completion of the 12-month long program.
DUI charges are serious, whether you’re a professional golfer or just a regular Floridian. They can impact your career opportunities and cost you hundreds if not thousands in legal fees and punitive damages. Investigating whether or not such a diversion program could apply in your case is a worthwhile pursuit.
