The arraignment of Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer, has been delayed by almost two weeks. This comes after his arrest 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 drove past a police roadblock near the Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning, injuring an officer with his vehicle. He was arrested a few hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship.
Scheffler, 27, was set to appear in court on Tuesday morning for his arraignment on several charges, including second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic. However, the arraignment has been rescheduled for June 3 at 9 a.m., as indicated by online court records.
The defense’s motion to continue the arraignment was granted by the district judge presiding in the case on Monday. This decision was made despite the objection of Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell. Josh Abner, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, stated that their office is still gathering information in the case.
According to Louisville ABC affiliate WHAS, Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, has stated that they intend to plead not guilty to the charges.
Scheffler found himself in custody just an hour following a tragic incident near the golf course. In the early hours of Friday, a shuttle bus struck and killed a man who was attempting to cross a road near the PGA Championship course. The Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed the victim’s identity as John Mills, a volunteer for the PGA Championship Tour.
According to reports from ESPN, there were roadblocks and confusion surrounding the accident, which apparently prompted Scheffler to drive past the police who were present at the scene. 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. As a result, the officer sustained injuries to his left wrist and knee, including pain, swelling, and abrasions, and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
According to Scheffler, the incident was simply a “big misunderstanding.”
In a statement shared on social media, Scheffler acknowledged the chaotic situation that unfolded earlier and expressed his adherence to the directions provided by the police officers. He clarified that there was a significant misunderstanding regarding the task he believed he was assigned. Scheffler emphasized that he had no intention of disregarding any of the instructions given to him.
According to Romines, WHAS was informed that Scheffler was carrying out instructions given by one officer, but there was a “miscommunication” with the officer who tried to halt him.
According to Romines, “In the confusion, Scottie is accused of ignoring a different officer’s traffic signals, which led to these charges.” Romines further states, “Multiple eyewitnesses have confirmed that Scottie did not commit any wrongdoing but was merely following the directions given to him. He promptly stopped when directed to do so and never once attempted to harm any officer with his vehicle.”
ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who was present during the altercation between Scheffler and the police, shared his account of the incident on social media. According to Darlington, a police officer tried to attach himself to Scheffler’s car, which prompted Scheffler to stop at the entrance of Valhalla. Upon exiting the vehicle, the officer forcefully pushed Scheffler against the car and promptly placed him under arrest.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg informed reporters on Saturday that there is no body camera footage available of the altercation between Scheffler and the police. However, he mentioned that there is another perspective captured by a “fixed camera” situated across the street, and this footage will be made public in the upcoming days.
According to Greenberg, the Louisville Metro Police Department is currently conducting an internal investigation into Scheffler’s arrest (WHAS).
Greenberg assured the station that any policy violations would be addressed promptly and dealt with accordingly.
After being released from jail, Scheffler made a swift return to the course just an hour before his tee time at 10:08 a.m. on Friday. Despite the challenging circumstances, he showed great resilience and determination, ultimately securing a commendable tied-eighth position 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 it was finally sinking in. He described the tournament as “hectic” and expressed his determination to put it behind him and focus on what he loves: competing.
The PGA of America stated on Friday that it is fully cooperating with local authorities as they investigate the incident.
In a statement, our utmost concern is focused on the family of John Mills, who tragically lost his life this morning while on his way to work.
Scheffler has been on fire this year, clinching four tournament victories on the tour. One of his standout performances was at The Masters in April, where he displayed sheer dominance and secured his second Masters win and second major victory. His winning streak continued with back-to-back triumphs at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship in March.
