Woods avoids prison over driving incident
MIAMI Tiger Woods has pleaded guilty to reckless driving in a deal that will keep him out of jail as long as he stays out of trouble, resolving charges from an arrest in May in which he was found passed out in his Mercedes with prescription drugs and marijuana in his system.
Woods spoke only briefly during a hearing at a Palm Beach County courthouse in Florida yesterday, answering questions from the judge about his plea agreement. Prosecutors dropped a driving under the influence charge for the superstar golfer, and the judge warned him to behave.
Woods did not make any statement during the hearing or outside the courthouse.
Woods will enter a diversion programme and spend a year on probation, and will pay a US$250 (NZ$365) fine and court costs. He had already met some of the programme’s other requirements, completing 50 hours of community service at the Tiger Woods Foundation, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg REUTERS said. He also attended a workshop where victims of impaired drivers detail how their lives were damaged.
‘‘This is designed for first-time offenders, where the person made a one-time mistake and they’re going to overcome it,’’ Aronberg said. ‘‘Mr Woods was treated like any other defendant in his situation.’’
Since Woods was intoxicated with prescription drugs and marijuana, he will also be required to undergo regular drug tests. He is also not allowed to drink alcohol. AP