MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA — Tiger Woods is scheduled to appear in Martin County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, for a change-of-plea hearing. His attorney Doug Duncan filed a motion to change his plea on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

The hearing will be presided over by Judge Darren Steele. The court filing did not disclose the specific plea he intends to enter regarding the charges stemming from a March 2026 incident.

Woods previously pleaded not guilty to charges of driving under the influence with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test. He was also charged with careless driving, which carries a $163 civil penalty.

The legal proceedings originate from a rollover crash on March 27, 2026, in Hobe Sound near Woods’s residence on Jupiter Island, Florida. Woods was driving a Land Rover that overturned after clipping a trailer attached to a pickup truck on South Beach Road. The crash caused $5,000 in damage to the truck.

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek stated he approached the truck at a high rate of speed on a road with a 30 mph limit. He exited the vehicle through the passenger side and was not injured.

According to the arrest affidavit, he told investigators he was looking down at his phone to change the radio station when the collision occurred. Investigators observed him sweating profusely with bloodshot, glassy eyes and extremely dilated pupils.

He failed field sobriety tests and struggled to follow instructions. A breath test showed no alcohol in his system, but he refused to provide a urine sample for drug testing.

Investigators found two hydrocodone pills in his pocket. He told investigators he had taken prescription medications earlier that day, including drugs for high blood pressure, cholesterol, ibuprofen, and Vicodin.

During the investigation, he told officers he had been talking to the president shortly after the crash. Donald Trump stated later on March 27, 2026, that he had spoken with Woods following the crash.

He spoke of 10 to 15 drones equipped with GoPro cameras flying over his home and car about an hour after the crash. He was taken to a hospital for medical clearance and refused all medical treatment before being transported to the Martin County Jail.

On March 31, 2026, Woods announced he would step away from golf to seek treatment and focus on his health. He said in a social media post that he was stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on his health, and that this was necessary in order for him to prioritise his wellbeing and work toward lasting recovery.

A Florida judge granted Woods permission to travel abroad to enter an inpatient treatment facility in Zurich, Switzerland. In July 2026, Judge Darren Steele approved an agreement allowing prosecutors to review his hospital treatment records and prescription drug records.

He made his first public appearance since returning from treatment on June 23, 2026, at a PGA Tour event. He has not competed in an official PGA Tour event since July 2024.

Why It Matters

The upcoming hearing represents a procedural step in a case that has drawn attention due to Woods's status as a prominent athlete and his history of vehicle incidents. The resolution of the DUI and careless driving charges could impact his legal standing and public profile, while the review of medical records approved by the court adds a layer of complexity to the determination of impairment.

This case follows a pattern of legal and personal challenges for Woods, including previous arrests and serious injuries. The outcome of the plea change and subsequent legal proceedings will determine whether the matter concludes with the existing civil penalty or results in further judicial action based on the evidence gathered by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

Timeline

Woods crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home in Windermere, Florida, in 2009. Woods was arrested on a DUI charge in Jupiter, Florida, in May 2017 after police found him asleep behind the wheel of a damaged vehicle. Woods was seriously injured in a car crash in Los Angeles in February 2021, suffering leg and ankle injuries. Woods has not competed in an official PGA Tour event since July 2024.

On March 27, 2026, investigators from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of the rollover crash on Jupiter Island and conducted a field sobriety test on Woods, during which they stated that his normal faculties were impaired and that he was under the influence of an unknown substance. On that same date, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek stated he approached the truck at a high rate of speed on a road with a 30 mph limit. The charges stem from this rollover crash on March 27, 2026, in Hobe Sound near Woods’s residence on Jupiter Island, Florida. Also on March 27, 2026, he told investigators he was looking down at his phone to change the radio station when the collision occurred.

What's New

Further reporting indicated that the Martin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the March 2026 rollover crash on Jupiter Island, and the case is now scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing on September 2, 2026, in Martin County Circuit Court. Additional facts revealed that investigators observed him sweating profusely with bloodshot, glassy eyes and extremely dilated pupils, and that investigators found two hydrocodone pills in his pocket. He had previously stated that he was stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on his health, and that this was necessary in order for him to prioritise his wellbeing and work toward lasting recovery.