Golf star Scottie Scheffler saw his charges dropped after prosecutors described the case as a misunderstanding with police.
Jefferson County prosecutors in Kentucky made motion to drop the case during a hearing on May 29, according to The Athletic. It came 12 days after the world’s No. 1 golfer was arrested outside the Valhalla Golf Club for his alleged disobeying of police at a fatal crash scene.
Prosecutor Mike O’Connell said that Scheffler’s assertion that the arrest was a misunderstanding was backed up by the evidence. Jefferson County District Court Judge Anne Delahanty dismissed the case and said the charges will be ready for expungement in 60 days.
The 27-year-old golfer was released just hours after his arrest, allowing him to make his tee time for the PGA Championship - which he eventually finished tied for 8th.
“As far as best rounds of my career, I would say it was pretty good,” Scheffler said after competing. “I definitely never imagined ever going to jail, and I definitely never imagined going to jail the morning before one of my tee times.”
Scheffler was arrested as he attempted to drive into Valhalla Golf Club in heavy traffic caused by an unrelated accident.
Detective Bryan Gillis stopped Scheffler’s car and “attempted to give instruction” to the golfer, according to the police report on the incident. Police then allege Scheffler refused to comply and “accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground.”
Terry Meiners, the Kentucky journalist who first reported the charges would be dropped, also shared a recording of Scheffler speaking to an officer after his arrest.
“You’re right. I should have stopped,” the golfer said in the recording, according to Mr Meiners. “I did get a little impatient…he grabbed my shoulder and hit me. It seemed to be a little bit over-aggressive.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told reporters after his arrest that there is no police bodycam footage of Scheffler’s arrest because the officer did not have the camera turned on.
Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel shared the results of an internal investigation last week revealing Detective Gillis should have turned on his body camera but did not.
“His failure to do so is a violation of the LMPD policy on uniforms and equipment,” Chief Gwinn-Villaroel said. “Detective Gillis did not have his body-worn camera operationally ready as required by our policy.” She said the detective has since been “counseled” by his supervisor and received corrective action.
Last week, Scheffler’s attorney Steve Romines said he hoped to see the charges dropped.
“So we’re not interested in any sort of settlement negotiations or anything like that,” Mr Romines previously said. “It was just a big miscommunication.”
“There had been a traffic fatality down the road and so there were differing traffic directions going on and traffic control officers were advising different things,” he continued.
