Tiger Woods set for Florida court appearance in DUI plea case
FLORIDA: Tiger Woods will appear in court on Wednesday for what is listed on the docket as a change-of-plea hearing related to his rollover crash and DUI arrest in March.
A Sept 8 appearance had been scheduled as a status hearing after Woods entered a not-guilty plea.
In a change-of-plea hearing, a defendant is required to be present rather than solely use legal representation on their behalf.
Records for the Martin County court schedule on Wednesday show Woods scheduled to appear at 8.30am before Judge Darren Steele.
Woods is represented by attorney Douglas Duncan, who filed a separate document on the docket describing the hearing as a “plea conference,” USA Today reported Tuesday. Duncan had requested a jury trial when he filed Woods’ earlier not-guilty plea.
The court granted Woods’ request to leave the country for treatment. Woods argued that he needed to leave the US to receive treatment in a controlled environment and, in a statement, said he needed time to “focus on my health”.
Woods, 50, was arrested March 27 and charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test after he refused a DUI test following the Jupiter Island crash.
Witnesses and police accounts of the accident described Woods’ Range Rover crossing over double solid lines and then swerving to avoid a pickup truck and trailer.
Deputies responding to the scene reported that Woods showed “signs of impairment”.
An arrest affidavit revealed that police also recovered two hydrocodone pills.
Woods was detained in Florida for the state-mandated eight hours before his bail was granted.
