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Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell asked a judge Wednesday afternoon to drop the four charges against Scheffler, who was not required to be in the courtroom. The prosecutor said his team reviewed the case in a “thorough and expeditious manner.”
“Based upon the totality of the evidence, my office cannot move forward in the prosecution of the charges filed against Mr. Scheffler,” O’Connell said during the hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes. “Mr. Scheffler’s characterization that this was ‘a big misunderstanding’ is corroborated by the evidence.”
Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, said the golfer is “happy it’s over” and “obviously, he didn’t do anything wrong.”
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky court has postponed pro golfer Scottie Scheffler’s appearance on charges he injured a police officer and disobeyed commands outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club as the venue hosted this year’s PGA Championship.
Scheffler, who was handcuffed and briefly jailed on Friday, had been due in court Tuesday, two days after finishing in the top ten at the PGA. But a judge postponed the court date until June 3, according to a statement Monday from Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell.
“Today, over the objection of Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell, the District Judge presiding in the case of Mr. Scheffler granted the defendant’s attorney’s motion to continue Mr. Scheffler’s arraignment from May 21 to June 3 at 9 a.m.,” the statement said. “Our office continues to gather information in the case.”
Scheffler faces four charges, including felony assault over injuries a Louisville police officer suffered during the encounter.
Officers at the scene were investigating a tournament volunteer’s death after he was hit by a bus outside the golf course when Scheffler arrived.
He was driving a credentialed PGA courtesy car when an officer said he “refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging” the officer to the ground, according to an arrest report. Video at the scene showed Scheffler in handcuffs, a surreal image for the best male golfer in the world and the winner of last month’s Master’s tournament.
Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, has said the case is a misunderstanding and the golfer never disobeyed any officer’s orders. A telephone message seeking comment was left for Romines on Monday.
Scheffler got out of jail and to the course in time to play the second round and shot a 66. He fell out of contention for the tournament with a 73 on Saturday — his first round over par since last August. He closed with a 65, tying for eighth place.
