Celebrities may have it all – fancy homes, nice cars, and a bank account balance to envy, but being in the spotlight is not all it is cracked up to be. When they end up in trouble, it is often made public knowledge, something that doesn’t always happen to most normal folk. In Tampa alone, 2,087 DUI citations were issued in 2016, but many of those went unnoticed. A celebrity being arrested for DUI will often make the news, letting all who watch aware of the transgression. NBC Los Angeles reports on the plea deal Tiger Woods has made in his DUI case.
At about 2 a.m. on May 29, officers found Tiger Woods passed out behind the wheel of his Mercedes. The vehicle was parked awkwardly on the side of the road and there was visible front-end damage. Officers checked nearby vehicles and property but could find no indication of how the damage occurred.
Woods was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Toxicology reports later revealed that Woods had THC, one of the active ingredients in marijuana, the pain relievers Vicodin and Dilaudid, along with the sleep medication Ambien and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in his system at the time of his arrest. There was no alcohol in his system.
On Friday, October 27, Woods pleaded guilty to charges of reckless driving and agreed to enter a diversion program designed for first-time offenders. Prosecutors dropped the driving under the influence charge, but Woods must stay out of trouble.
Woods must also spend a year on probation, pay a $250 fine and court costs. California Penal Code 1214.1 allows a court to set up a payment plan for a defendant who is unable to pay their fines and fees in full, and it allows the court to relieve certain penalties and fees if the defendant makes a good faith effort to pay.
He has already completed 50 hours of community service, another requirement of his plea deal. Because he was intoxicated with prescription drugs and marijuana, Woods must also submit to regular drug tests and he cannot drink alcohol.
Woods has been in trouble before, having been involved in a much-publicized accident outside his home in 2009. He entered a treatment facility for addiction at that time.
Have you been charged with DUI? You will need an experienced legal team to defend you in court. Our attorneys are all well versed in the defense of DUI charges. Call us today.
