Tiger Woods is set to change his plea in court on Wednesday morning, a new step in the Florida DUI case that began five months ago with his arrest after a rollover crash. Court records show the hearing is scheduled in Martin County.
The move lands at a moment when the case has already been shaped by the crash itself and the account Woods gave soon after it happened. He was arrested in March after his vehicle clipped a truck and rolled over, and he later told police, “I looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden, boom.” No one was hurt, but Woods had to crawl out through the passenger door to free himself.
That is why the hearing matters now. Woods pleaded not guilty in the same month to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and refusal to submit to testing, and the case has sat on a court calendar ever since. A change of plea hearing suggests the defendant is preparing to take a different position in court, even though the record does not say what plea he intends to enter.
The details released after the arrest left an uneasy gap between what Woods said and what officers reported. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods passed a breathalyser test but declined a urinalysis screening for other drugs, while officers said his normal faculties appeared impaired by an unknown substance. Woods told officers he had not consumed alcohol that day and answered “I take a few” when asked about prescription medication, adding that he had taken medication earlier that morning. Authorities later reported finding two white pills in his pocket, identified as hydrocodone.
Police also released body camera footage in April showing the aftermath of the incident, including the rolled-over vehicle and the moment Woods emerged after the crash. In a social media post after the arrest, he said he was stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on his health. It was his second arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, and Wednesday’s hearing now pushes the case into its next phase, with the unanswered question being whether Woods is preparing to admit to the charges, challenge them, or seek a negotiated outcome in Martin County.
