The arraignment of Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer, has been delayed for almost two weeks after he was arrested in Louisville, Kentucky, during the PGA Championship. Scheffler is facing charges for allegedly disregarding police traffic signals and assaulting a police officer.
According to the police report, the athlete allegedly drove past a police roadblock near the Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning, injuring an officer with his vehicle. He was arrested just hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship.
Scheffler, who is 27 years old, had originally been set to go to court on Tuesday morning to face charges of second-degree assault of a police officer. This is considered a felony. Additionally, he was also facing charges of third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic, as reported by the police. However, the arraignment has now been rescheduled to June 3 at 9 a.m. according to online court records.
According to a statement from Josh Abner, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, the arraignment in the case was granted a continuance by the district judge on Monday. This decision was made despite objections from Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell. Abner further stated that their office is actively collecting more information regarding the case.
According to a statement given to Louisville ABC affiliate WHAS, Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, has stated that they intend to enter a plea of not guilty to the charges.
Scheffler faced immediate arrest following a tragic incident that occurred near the golf course. In the early hours of Friday at approximately 5 a.m., a shuttle bus fatally struck a man who was attempting to cross a road close to the course where the prestigious PGA Championship was taking place. The Louisville Metro Police Department disclosed this information in an official statement. The victim was identified as John Mills, a dedicated volunteer for the PGA Championship Tour.
According to ESPN reports, Scheffler drove past the police at the accident scene due to the roadblocks and confusion. The police report states that when a police officer asked Scheffler to stop, he allegedly refused and instead accelerated forward, causing the detective to be dragged to the ground. The injured officer was taken to the hospital with pain, swelling, and abrasions on his left wrist and knee.
According to Scheffler, the incident was simply a “big misunderstanding.”
In a statement shared on social media, Scheffler explained the events of the morning and expressed his perspective on the situation. He acknowledged the chaotic atmosphere that followed the tragic accident and admitted to a misunderstanding of the instructions given by the police officers. Scheffler emphasized that he never had any intention of disregarding the instructions provided to him.
According to Romines, WHAS was informed that Scheffler had been given instructions by a specific officer, but there was a miscommunication with another officer who tried to stop him.
According to Romines, Scottie allegedly ignored another officer’s traffic signals during the confusion, which led to these charges. Romines stated that multiple eyewitnesses have confirmed that Scottie didn’t do anything wrong but was simply following directions. He immediately stopped when directed to and never assaulted any officer with his vehicle.
According to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who was present during the incident involving Scheffler and the police, he described the situation on social media. He stated that a police officer tried to attach himself to Scheffler’s car, causing Scheffler to stop his vehicle at the entrance to Valhalla. The officer then proceeded to shout at Scheffler, demanding that he exit the car. After Scheffler complied and got out of the vehicle, the officer forcefully pushed him against the car and promptly placed him in handcuffs.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg informed reporters on Saturday that there is no body camera footage available of the encounter between Scheffler and the police. However, he mentioned that there is another perspective of the incident captured by a “fixed camera” located across the street. The footage from this camera will be made public in the upcoming days.
According to WHAS, Greenberg stated on Monday that the Louisville Metro Police Department is currently conducting an internal investigation into Scheffler’s arrest.
Greenberg assured the station that any policy violations that occurred would be dealt with appropriately.
After being released from jail, Scheffler made a swift return to the course just an hour before his scheduled tee time at 10:08 a.m. on Friday. Despite the challenging circumstances, he displayed remarkable resilience and determination, ultimately securing a commendable tied for eighth place in the prestigious PGA Championship, which is the second major tournament of the year.
During Sunday’s press briefing after the final round, he reflected on the events of Saturday morning, acknowledging that the impact of what had happened had finally sunk in. Describing the tournament as “hectic,” he expressed his determination to put it behind him and focus on his love for competing.
The PGA of America has stated that it is fully cooperating with local authorities as they investigate the incident.
“Our main focus at this time is on the family of John Mills, who tragically lost his life this morning while on his way to work,” the statement expressed.
Scheffler has been on fire this year, claiming victory in four tournaments on the tour. In April, he showcased his dominance at The Masters, securing his second Masters win and second major triumph. Adding to his impressive resume, he emerged as the champion in consecutive marquee events in March, namely the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.
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