Tiger Woods told police he had taken multiple prescription medications, including Vicodin, on the day of a crash that led to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court filings released on Wednesday.
The filing, submitted by prosecutors in Florida as part of routine pretrial discovery and obtained by the Guardian, also details a series of unusual remarks Woods made to officers at the scene of the 27 March crash in Hobe Sound, including references to drones flying over his home and a claim that he had spoken to “the president”.
Woods told investigators he takes medications for high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as ibuprofen and Vicodin, and said he had taken all of them earlier that day when asked. He denied drinking alcohol.
A breath test showed no alcohol in his system, but Woods refused a urine test for drugs, the filing states.
Prosecutors are also seeking access to Woods’s prescription records covering the months leading up to the crash, according to a separate filing. His attorneys have objected, arguing the records are private and have asked a judge to determine whether they are relevant to the case. They have also requested a protective order that would limit how any records are used and prevent their release through public records requests.
Woods, 50, has pleaded not guilty to DUI charges stemming from the crash, in which his vehicle struck a trailer and overturned. He told officers he had been looking down at his phone to change the radio station when the collision occurred.
According to the filings, about an hour after the crash and before officers conducted field sobriety tests, Woods told one officer that “all the drones” were flying over his home and referenced “10 to 15 drones coming over my … car” with “GoPros on ‘em”. He then stepped away while on the phone and, when asked to remain nearby, said he had “just [been] talking to the president trying to get away from …” before trailing off. The documents do not identify which president he was referring to.
Donald Trump said later that day he’d spoken with Woods since the incident, noting the golfer “lives a life of pain” due to his injuries but was “doing great”. Woods has been in a relationship with Trump’s former daughter-in-law, Vanessa Trump, for more than a year.
Prosecutors said they intend to use Woods’s statements, body camera footage and testimony from multiple law enforcement officers as part of their case. The filing also includes a formal demand that Woods notify prosecutors in advance if he intends to present an alibi defense at trial.
Woods was released on bail hours after his arrest and is due back in court next month.
In a statement issued days after the crash, the 15-time major champion said he would step away from golf “to seek treatment and focus on my health”. A Florida judge has granted his request to travel abroad to enter an inpatient treatment facility, which his attorney said was necessary for an intensive, individualized program.
Woods has been involved in previous high-profile car incidents, including a life-threatening 2021 crash in Los Angeles and a 2017 DUI arrest linked to prescription medication use, and has struggled in recent years with chronic pain and injuries, including a seventh back procedure and a ruptured achilles tendon.
An 82-time winner on the PGA Tour, Woods is tied with Sam Snead for the most victories in history and last won a major at the 2019 Masters, his fifth title at Augusta.
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