Scottie Scheffler expressed his disbelief at being arrested while he was being booked into the Louisville Department of Corrections on Friday morning, according to an inmate.
The inmate told TMZ Sports that the World No. 1 golfer was upset about being handcuffed and processed just before his second-round start at the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course in Kentucky.
“He kept saying it was bulls–t that he was there,” the inmate said.
Another witness told TMZ Sports that officers even took a peek at Scheffler while he was being processed, with others wondering how long he would be held.
Scheffler was booked at around 8:40 a.m. ET but managed to return to the course in time for his 10:08 a.m. tee time.
Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer (a felony), criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.
He allegedly drove past a police officer who was directing traffic and failed to stop when directed.
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The officer reportedly attached himself to Scheffler’s vehicle and was dragged. According to an arrest report, Louisville Detective Bryan Gillis sustained injuries in the incident.
Scheffler’s arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, but the “No Laying Up” podcast reported that the charges against him may be dropped.
Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg stated on Saturday that there was no bodycam footage of the incident between Scheffler and Gillis.
“The officer did not have bodycam footage turned on during the incident,” Greenberg said, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. “We will release footage that we have… To my knowledge, we have not yet discovered any video of the initial contact between Officer Gillis and Mr. Scheffler.”
Greenberg mentioned a “fixed camera” across the street from where the incident occurred but was unsure if Gillis was wearing a body camera. He did not comment on whether Scheffler’s charges would be reduced.
Scheffler described the incident as a “big misunderstanding” on Friday.
“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,” he said. “I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.”
“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.”
