Reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler's legal battle in Louisville is over.
Criminal charges against Scheffler were dropped Wednesday, less than two weeks after he was arrested while trying to enter the PGA Championship in an incident that made national headlines.
Scheffler's arrest occurred early on the morning of May 17. A traffic accident, in which a shuttle bus fatally struck a pedestrian, led to increased police presence around Valhalla Golf Club, and Scheffler attempted to drive around traffic to reach the entrance to the club.
Louisville Metro Police accused Scheffler of ignoring orders from an officer and of dragging the officer to the ground with his car. He spent more than an hour in police custody and faced four charges, including felony second-degree assault of a police officer.
Video evidence, though, didn't paint the same picture as the officer's initial description of the events. Scheffler insisted that the incident was a misunderstanding, and he intended to fight the allegations in court. But Wednesday's announcement ended the ordeal for the world's No. 1-ranked golfer.
Here are the details on why Scheffler's charges were dropped.
MORE: Scottie Scheffler describes 'chaotic' arrest at PGA Championship
Why were Scottie Scheffler's charges dropped?
Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell announced Wednesday that all four charges against Scheffler will be dropped, supporting the golfer's claim that the incident was simply a misunderstanding.
"Mr. Scheffler's characterization that this was a big misunderstanding is corroborated by the evidence ... Mr. Scheffler's actions and the evidence surrounding their exchange during this misunderstanding do not satisfy the elements of any criminal offenses," O'Connell said.
BREAKING: Jefferson Co. Attorney Mike O'Connell requests that all charges be dropped against Scottie Scheffler. He says, "Mr. Scheffler's characterization that this was a big misunderstanding is corroborated by the evidence." Here's the moment from just minutes ago: @wave3news pic.twitter.com/NeEwF483eA
— Ward Jolles (@wardjolles) May 29, 2024
Scheffler faced four charges, the most notable of which was felony second-degree assault of a police officer. His initial court date was set for June 3 before Wednesday's announcement brought the case to an end.
The two-time Masters champion had made it clear through his lawyer that he planned to fight the charges.
"I am prepared to litigate as needed and the case will be dismissed, or we will go to trial because Scottie did absolutely nothing wrong," Scheffler's attorney Steve Romines said in the wake of his client's arrest.
Romines took a scorched-earth approach after the charges were dropped on Wednesday, blasting the police who questioned Scheffler following the arrest. "That's what you don't talk to the police," Romines said. "Because they will put words in your mouth. ... The video evidence shows he didn't do it."
NEW: Scottie Scheffler's attorney issues a fiery response to the charges being dropped against Scottie Scheffler. Listen to what Romines told @NataliaWAVE3 when she asked why Scheffler originally agreed with the claim that he dragged Det. Gillis: @wave3news pic.twitter.com/TP01669eIH
— Ward Jolles (@wardjolles) May 29, 2024
Scheffler, meanwhile, posted a statement on social media after the charges were dropped, calling the incident "a severe misunderstanding" and saying he's looking forward to putting the incident behind him.
Scottie Scheffler charges
Scheffler faced four criminal charges stemming from his May 17 arrest:
- Second-degree assault of a police officer (felony)
- Third-degree criminal mischief (misdemeanor)
- Reckless driving (misdemeanor)
- Disregarding signals from officers directing traffic (misdemeanor)
Scheffler was accused of felony assault of a police officer with his car, but the case against him weakened when video did not show the alleged dragging of the officer with his car. The officer in question has been disciplined because he didn't activate his bodycam video recorder during the incident.
Kentucky law states that an individual is guilty of second-degree assault of a police officer if they meet the following criteria:
- Intentionally causes serious physical injury to another person; or
- Intentionally causes physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument; or
- Wantonly causes serious physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.
MORE: Explaining each of Scottie Scheffler's charges
If prosecutors pursued a case against Scheffler, they would have need to prove the incident met the above criteria. Instead, the legal matter came to an end without much fanfare, as the arrest was chalked up to a misunderstanding.
