The officer involved in an incident with Scottie Scheffler has reportedly landed in hospital after being dragged by the golfer's car ahead of PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.
- May 18, 2024
AceShowbiz - Scottie Scheffler, the world-renowned golfer, was involved in a chaotic and dramatic incident at the 2024 PGA Championship, leading to the arrest of the sportsperson just hours before his second-round tee time. Here's everything you need to know.
The incident occurred early Friday morning, May 17 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Scheffler, who was one of the top competitors at the tournament, was attempting to enter the club when he encountered police officers managing the traffic flow following a fatal accident that morning.
According to reports, Detective Bryan Gillis, a Louisville Police officer, was directing traffic when Scheffler tried to bypass the stopped vehicles by driving in the westbound lanes. The officer, thinking that Scheffler was violating traffic orders, stopped him to give instructions.
The police report states, "Detective Bryan Gillis stopped the subject and attempted to give instructions. Subject refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground."
The incident left Detective Gillis with "pain, swelling, and abrasions to his left wrist and knee," resulting in him being hospitalized. His uniform pants, valued at $80, were also damaged beyond repair.
Consequently, Scheffler was arrested and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, criminal mischief in the third degree, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic. These charges range from misdemeanors to violations, with the assault charge being a felony.
Steve Romines, Scheffler's attorney, tried to clarify the situation by explaining that Scheffler was merely following what he believed to be the correct procedure for players to access the golf course.
According to Romines, the fatal accident earlier had disrupted normal traffic patterns, leading to confusion. "Apparently, there had been a traffic accident, or maybe even a fatality down the road, and that had changed the traffic patterns, and he was unaware of that," Romines stated.
In his defense, Scheffler also released a statement, expressing his perspective on the incident. "This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers. It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions," he said.
The PGA of America also released a statement extending their sympathies to the family of John Mills, the individual who lost his life in the fatal accident earlier that day. They acknowledged the incident involving Scheffler and assured that they were "fully cooperating as local authorities review what took place."
Despite the ordeal, Scheffler's performance on the course didn't falter as he completed his round with an impressive 5-under 66, moving to 9-under for the week.
