(Louisville, Ky.) Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday morning on his way to the PGA Golf Championship venue. Stunning footage shows him handcuffed as he was taken to prison for failing to follow police directions as part of an investigation into a fatal crash involving a pedestrian.
Within three hours, Scheffler was arrested wearing athletic shorts and a T-shirt, donned an orange jail shirt for his mug shot, and returned to Valhalla Golf Club in golf outfit 56 minutes before leaving for the second round.
Scheffler’s lawyer said the arrest was “a huge misunderstanding.” “We’re going to litigate the case as it goes along,” attorney Steve Romines told the Associated Press.
PHOTO MATT YORK, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Scottie Scheffler (center) upon arrival at Valhalla Golf Club
Traffic was backed up for nearly a kilometer in both directions on the only road to Valhalla in the early morning darkness and light rain, and dozens of police vehicles flashed their red and blue lights nearby. from the entrance.
According to police authorities, a pedestrian was struck by a bus while crossing the road on a lane reserved for tournament traffic, and was pronounced dead at the scene around 5:09 a.m.
ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington said Scheffler, the world No. 1, passed a police officer a little after 6 a.m. in his SUV with marks on the door indicating it was a vehicle from PGA Championship.
The officer yelled at him to stop and held on to the car until Scheffler stopped about 10 meters away.
Scheffler was arrested at 7:28 a.m., about two and a half hours before the start of his second round. Police said he was arrested for second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and failure to obey the signals of an officer directing traffic.
“The bottom line is that he did exactly as he was asked, in an identified and certified vehicle,” Romines said. “He didn’t do anything wrong intentionally. »
Louisville Metropolitan Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment and information.
Darlington witnessed the scene. He says a police officer pulled Scheffler out of the car, pushed him against the car and immediately handcuffed him.
“Scheffler was then taken to the police car, placed in the back, handcuffed, very surprised at what was happening, he looked at me while he was handcuffed and said: ‘Please Please, help me,’” Darlington recounted. “It’s clear he didn’t know what was going on. Things happened very quickly, very quickly, very aggressively. »
Mitchell told Louisville radio station WHAS that the man was crossing Shelbyville Road around 5 a.m. and the bus did not see him. Mitchell added that the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
PGA Championship officials posted a notice saying play would be delayed because of the accident. The second round was scheduled to start 1 hour and 20 minutes later than the scheduled start times, meaning Scheffler wasn’t scheduled to start until just over 10 a.m.
Scheffler was released by police and returned to the course at 9:12 a.m. He went to the practice field around 9:30 a.m. and was greeted by fans – one of whom shouted ” free Scottie ! » (free Scottie!).