The legal battle overTiger Woods’ prescription medication recordsis officially underway in Florida.
After the famed golferwas arrested in FloridaMarch 27 on suspicion of driving while impaired, Florida state prosecutors filed a notice in court April 7 that said they planned tosubpoena Woods’ medication recordssince Jan. 1.
Now Woods’ attorney has fired back with a response that states Woods has a constitutional right to privacy with these records unless the state can convince the court why such records are relevant to the state’s criminal investigation of Woods.
“The defense objects to the issuance of a subpoena and requests the court to conduct a hearing to determine if the prescription records are ‘relevant to the criminal investigation,’” said Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan.
If the court grants the state’s request for a subpoena for these records, Woods’ attorney also wants a protective order governing the use and release of these records to shield them from public view.
Why is the state trying to get these records from Tiger Woods?
Woods, 50, wasarrested in Jupiter Island March 27after authorities say his Land Rover clipped the back of a trailer from behind in a residential neighborhood and then tipped over. Authorities suspected he was impaired by medications, not alcohol, after evaluating him on the scene.
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After Woods refused to take a urine test, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said, “We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash."
State prosecutors didn’t say why they wanted to subpoena Woods’ prescription records, but such records could help bolster their case regarding Woods’ alleged impairment. Meanwhile, Woods haspleaded not guiltyand said he is “stepping away” to “seek treatment and focus on my health.”
Tiger Woods was arrested for driving under the influence after a car crash in Florida on Friday, March 27, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said. Woods and the other driver involved in the two-car crash were not injured. Photos release by Martin County Sheriff's Office show the scene of the crash.
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The crash took place in Jupiter Island, Florida. Mark Steinberg, Woods' longtime agent, did not immediately respond to a request for information about Woods' condition.
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Woods and the other driver involved in the two-car crash were not injured, authorities said during a news conference on Friday, March 27.
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Tiger Woods rollover crash on Jupiter Island on March 27, 2026. The crash occurred just after 2 p.m. local time in the 200 block of Beach Road.
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The Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) on the scene believes Woods’ impairment stemmed from “some kind of medication or drug,’’ according to the sheriff. While a breath test showed that Woods was not under the influence of alcohol, he refused a urinalysis test and was charged with the misdemeanor.
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Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek speaks about Tiger Woods' rollover crash on Jupiter Island on March 27, 2026 at Jupiter Island Town Hall.
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Tiger Woods rollover crash on Jupiter Island on March 27, 2026. The crash occurred just after 2 p.m. local time in the 200 block of Beach Road.
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Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek speaks about Tiger Woods' rollover crash on Jupiter Island on March 27, 2026 at Jupiter Island Town Hall.
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Photos show aftermath of Tiger Woods rollover crash in Florida
Tiger Woodswas arrested for driving under the influence after a carcrash in Floridaon Friday, March 27, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said. Woods and the other driver involved in the two-car crash were not injured. Photos release by Martin County Sheriff's Office show the scene of the crash.
Tiger Woods' driving history with suspected impairment
It was the fourth time since 2009 that Woods has been involved in a dangerous incident with his vehicle, including in 2017, when he was charged with driving under the influence in Florida after police found him asleep behind the wheel with the engine running. Several medications were found in his blood then, including thesleep drug Ambienand painkiller Vicodin.
In 2021, he broke his leg in Los Angeles County after his Genesis SUV veered off the road in a straight line at a high speed while his lane curved right. He wasn’t ticketed or charged then, raising questions aboutwhy Woods wasn’t investigated for impairmenteven though it looked like aclassic case of falling asleep at the wheel.
In 2009, Woods was ticketed for careless driving after hitting a row of hedges and a fire hydrant outside his mansion in Florida. A witness described him assnoring at the scene afterward.
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer@Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tiger Woods fights subpoena for prescription drug records in DUI case