Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
World's Top Golfer Scottie Scheffler Cleared of Charges Following Arrest
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 months ago on
May 29, 2024

Criminal charges against top golfer Scottie Scheffler, arrested during the PGA Championship, have been dropped after a thorough review of evidence, confirming his claims of misunderstanding. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.

Jefferson County Attorney Asked Judge to Drop Charges

Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell asked a judge Wednesday afternoon to drop the four charges against Scheffler, who was not required to be in the courtroom. The prosecutor said his team reviewed the case in a “thorough and expeditious manner.”

“Based upon the totality of the evidence, my office cannot move forward in the prosecution of the charges filed against Mr. Scheffler,” O’Connell said during the hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes. “Mr. Scheffler’s characterization that this was ‘a big misunderstanding’ is corroborated by the evidence.”

Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, said the golfer is “happy it’s over” and “obviously, he didn’t do anything wrong.”

Scheffler was charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle, along with three misdemeanors. The arresting officer, Detective Bryan Gillis, was outside the gate of Valhalla Golf Course May 17 directing traffic after a pedestrian death when he encountered Scheffler.

Evidence Led to the Ask for Dismissal of Charges

During the hearing, prosecutor O’Connell said the findings of his office’s review of the case led him to request the dismissal of the charges.

“The evidence we reviewed supports the conclusion that Detective Gillis was concerned for public safety at the scene when he initiated contact with Mr. Scheffler,” O’Connell said. “However, Mr. Scheffler’s actions and the evidence surrounding their exchange during this misunderstanding do not satisfy the elements of any criminal offenses.”

Romines was asked if he wanted to comment and replied: “Judge, it’s taken me a long time to understand that when I’m winning, don’t talk. So I have nothing to say, your honor.”

The judge then accepted the dismissal motion.

Scheffler, 27, was driving a PGA courtesy vehicle when Gillis said he “refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging” Gillis to the ground. Gillis said his uniform pants were damaged in the fall and he was taken to the hospital for his injuries.

Surveillance Video Shows Scheffler Being Arrested

A surveillance video released by Louisville police last week showed Gillis pursuing Scheffler’s vehicle on foot and stopping him from entering the course. Scheffler is later pulled from the car and cuffed. But the video did not show Gillis’ first contact with Scheffler, authorities said.

Gillis has been disciplined for not activating his body-worn camera during the arrest. In a report on that failure, Gillis wrote that Scheffler had “demanded to be let in” the golf course.

Scheffler has said he simply misunderstood the commands coming from traffic officers.

The famous golfer spent a brief stint in a jail cell, then returned to the course for the second round. He finished the tournament tied for eighth place.

Romines said eyewitness accounts confirmed that the officer was not dragged by Scheffler’s car.

“The more evidence that comes out, the more it shows that Scottie was a victim here. And I think everybody sees something like this happen and realizes they’re one wrong turn … from going to jail themselves,” he said after the hearing.

The lawyer said there were grounds for a civil lawsuit against the Louisville police department but Scheffler is not interested in pursuing litigation.

“Scottie Scheffler doesn’t want the taxpayers of Louisville to have to pay him a dime,” he said.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Iran’s Rial Hits a Record Low, Battered by Regional Tensions and an Energy Crisis

DON'T MISS

US Repatriates 3 Guantanamo Bay Detainees, Including One Held 17 Years Without Charge

DON'T MISS

Madera Man Guilty of Kidnapping, Sexual Assault in Case Distinguished by Victim’s Courage

DON'T MISS

Families of Hostages Endure Uncertainty Even as Hopes Rise for a Ceasefire in Gaza

DON'T MISS

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Rate Decision

DON'T MISS

What’s Known About the Brazen Bombing That Killed a Top Russian General in Moscow

DON'T MISS

Jacob Collier Enlisted 100,000 Concertgoers on His Way to More Grammy Nods

DON'T MISS

EPA Grants California Authority to Ban Sales of New Gas Cars by 2035. Action Faces Reversal By Trump

DON'T MISS

Congress Can Give Us Clean Affordable Energy in 2025

DON'T MISS

California’s PG&E Could Receive $15B in Federal Loans to Modernize Its Power Grid

UP NEXT

US Repatriates 3 Guantanamo Bay Detainees, Including One Held 17 Years Without Charge

UP NEXT

Madera Man Guilty of Kidnapping, Sexual Assault in Case Distinguished by Victim’s Courage

UP NEXT

Families of Hostages Endure Uncertainty Even as Hopes Rise for a Ceasefire in Gaza

UP NEXT

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Rate Decision

UP NEXT

What’s Known About the Brazen Bombing That Killed a Top Russian General in Moscow

UP NEXT

Jacob Collier Enlisted 100,000 Concertgoers on His Way to More Grammy Nods

UP NEXT

EPA Grants California Authority to Ban Sales of New Gas Cars by 2035. Action Faces Reversal By Trump

UP NEXT

Congress Can Give Us Clean Affordable Energy in 2025

UP NEXT

California’s PG&E Could Receive $15B in Federal Loans to Modernize Its Power Grid

UP NEXT

House Ethics Panel Voted Secretly to Release the Gaetz Report

Families of Hostages Endure Uncertainty Even as Hopes Rise for a Ceasefire in Gaza

60 minutes ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Rate Decision

1 hour ago

What’s Known About the Brazen Bombing That Killed a Top Russian General in Moscow

1 hour ago

Jacob Collier Enlisted 100,000 Concertgoers on His Way to More Grammy Nods

1 hour ago

EPA Grants California Authority to Ban Sales of New Gas Cars by 2035. Action Faces Reversal By Trump

1 hour ago

Congress Can Give Us Clean Affordable Energy in 2025

1 hour ago

California’s PG&E Could Receive $15B in Federal Loans to Modernize Its Power Grid

1 hour ago

House Ethics Panel Voted Secretly to Release the Gaetz Report

2 hours ago

Scheffler and McIlroy Have Easy Time as PGA Tour Stars Beat LIV Golf’s Koepka and DeChambeau

2 hours ago

Michael Vick Accepts Head Coaching Job at Norfolk State

2 hours ago

Iran’s Rial Hits a Record Low, Battered by Regional Tensions and an Energy Crisis

TEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian rial on Wednesday fell to its lowest level in history, losing more than 10% of value since Donald Trump won the U...

19 minutes ago

19 minutes ago

Iran’s Rial Hits a Record Low, Battered by Regional Tensions and an Energy Crisis

25 minutes ago

US Repatriates 3 Guantanamo Bay Detainees, Including One Held 17 Years Without Charge

A pedestrian was killed in a traffic collision early Monday morning in Madera, and police are asking for witnesses to come forward.
34 minutes ago

Madera Man Guilty of Kidnapping, Sexual Assault in Case Distinguished by Victim’s Courage

60 minutes ago

Families of Hostages Endure Uncertainty Even as Hopes Rise for a Ceasefire in Gaza

1 hour ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Drifts Ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Rate Decision

1 hour ago

What’s Known About the Brazen Bombing That Killed a Top Russian General in Moscow

1 hour ago

Jacob Collier Enlisted 100,000 Concertgoers on His Way to More Grammy Nods

1 hour ago

EPA Grants California Authority to Ban Sales of New Gas Cars by 2035. Action Faces Reversal By Trump

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend