Tiger Woods to enter diversion program for DUI charge

As his DUI case moves forward, Tiger Woods will enter a diversion program.

After his early morning arrest on Memorial Day, Tiger Woods pled not guilty to driving under the influence on Wednesday. He will also enter a diversion program, which would result in the DUI charge being dropped down the road.

Woods did not attend Wednesday morning’s hearing, but his attorney Douglas Duncan entered the not guilty plea on his behalf. Prosecutor Adrienne Ellis said Woods has agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving at a hearing to come on Oct. 25, and enter the county’s program for first-time DUI offenders. Ellis also deflected any idea of preferential treatment for Woods.

"“He is not being treated any different than anyone else"

In the diversion program, Woods has a laundry list of requirements to fulfill. He will get one year of probation, pay a $250 fine and court costs, attend DUI school, perform 50 hours of community service and attend a workshop where victims of impaired drivers detail how their lives were damaged. There is a reference to “other conditions”, but those are not specified.

If he was convicted of DUI, Woods could have faced a fine between $500 and $1,000 and up to six months of jail time.

Woods pointed to prescription medications, and a bad combination of them, as the reason for his ordeal and arrest early on Memorial Day morning. He also more recently said he completed treatment at an out-of-state clinic to deal with his use of prescriptions, which may be playing a role in how his court case is being resolved.

Due to ongoing physical issues, most recently his back that has kept him out since February, playing golf has seemed a long way off for Woods. His last PGA Tour win came in August of 2013, with his last major victory coming nearly a decade ago now in the 2008 U.S. Open.

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