Scottie Scheffler’s legal drama during the PGA Championship is over. The charges lobbed against him by authorities over an alleged reckless driving incident, among other things, involving a police officer has been dropped. After further review, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell said that the charges didn’t even meet probable cause standards (via NBC News):
NEW: Scottie Scheffler's attorney issues a fiery response to the charges being dropped against Scottie Scheffler. Listen to what Romines told @NataliaWAVE3 when she asked why Scheffler originally agreed with the claim that he dragged Det. Gillis: @wave3news pic.twitter.com/TP01669eIH
— Ward Jolles (@wardjolles) May 29, 2024
All charges against top golfer Scottie Scheffler were dropped Wednesday after a Kentucky prosecutor said the high-profile arrest amounted to a "big misunderstanding."
Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell told the court that the evidence against Scheffler doesn't even meet the lower standard of "probable cause."
"Therefore based upon the totality of the evidence, my office cannot move forward in the prosecution of the charges filed against Mr. Scheffler," O'Connell told the court, dropping all charges.
Scheffler’s arrest on May 17 outside of Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, capped off the start of a chaotic second day to the tournament. The initial reports were something out of the Dukes of Hazzard or Fast and the Furious, where Mr. Scheffler allegedly dragged an officer with his vehicle. There was a tragic traffic accident near the golf club, where a pedestrian was struck and killed by a bus in the early morning hours. Scheffler was trying to make it to Valhalla, though the start of the tournament had been delayed due to the accident.
Mr. Scheffler was seen being taken away in handcuffs, and he was later booked and released before his new scheduled tee time. While the charges were thought to be dropped after the tournament, that wasn’t until yesterday. It also comes as new videos were released following the incident.
A new video of Scottie Scheffler’s arrest has been released
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 23, 2024
pic.twitter.com/YrE2JJ22k9
The Scottie Scheffler arrest video looks like a total overreaction.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) May 23, 2024
The camera is across the street, but you can see Scheffler turn left into Valhalla Golf Club.
It looks like the police officer runs alongside the car, jumps on the driverside door, and then arrests him.
Crazy. pic.twitter.com/5nzgUFfQIZ
The first showed Scheffler’s vehicle not being erratic at all. The latest video points to the police officer not even identifying himself as law enforcement to the golfer. The officer involved also has a checkered record, having been suspended for doing donuts and later being disciplined over the Scheffler arrest for not turning in his body cam footage.
🚨👮♂️👀 #WATCH — PGA Tour superstar Scottie Scheffler talking to an officer after being arrested: “He didn’t say police get out of the car, he just hit me with his flashlight and yelled get out of the car..”
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 29, 2024
(Via: @AlexMyers3 | Maxwell Mitchell/FB)pic.twitter.com/Z7dbo4pvK2
Every day this gets worse… for the Louisville PD https://t.co/uVfcm3mzlV
— trey wingo (@wingoz) May 29, 2024
To avoid a public relations disaster, Jefferson County made the right call.
Judge: “All charges have been dropped against Scottie Scheffler”
— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) May 29, 2024
*Scheffler looks at Officer Gillis*pic.twitter.com/gPKdmoqt24