Scottie Scheffler is due in court on June 3 after Louisville Police gave no indication that the four charges against the world No 1 golfer will be dropped.
Scheffler was arrested in the early hours of last Friday (May 17) before his second round at the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky.
Stunning images showed golf’s world No 1 in handcuffs before he was taken to jail for not following police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
Cops gave a press conference on Thursday, alongside Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg. There was speculation that the charges would be dropped – or even reduced.
Instead, however, officials vowed to ‘to respect the legal process’ and ‘let it play out’, with Scheffler due to be arraigned in court next month on the following charges:
A mugshot of world no 1 Scottie Scheffler following his arrest by Louisville police last Friday
- Second-degree assault of a police officer, a felony
- Third-degree criminal mischief
- Reckless driving
- Disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic
In Kentucky, second-degree assault is a Class C felony which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
‘We are all looking to move forward,’ Mayor Greenberg said. ‘But we have to respect the legal process. And that’s what we are going to do. We are going to let that play out.’
Following the short press conference, when neither the mayor nor cops took questions from the media, Scheffler’s attorney released a stinging statement.
In remarkable footage the two-time Masters winner was seen being led into a police car
Police said Scheffler failed to comply with instructions and drove away from officer Gillis
‘Scottie Scheffler didn’t do anything wrong. Our position remains the same. — We will either try it or it will get dismissed,’ Steve Romines said.
‘We’re not interested in a settlement. It will either be dismissed or we will go to trial.’
The 27-year-old was accused of failing to stop for police as he attempted to gain entry at a point when they were managing traffic in the wake of a fatal collision between a bus and a member of the tournament’s security staff, John Mills.
The police report said Scheffler failed to comply with instructions and then drove away from an officer, Bryan Gillis, causing him to be dragged along by the two-time Masters winner’s car.
Louisville Metro Police Department said Scheffler was booked on four charges. He was set to be arraigned in a Louisville courtroom on Tuesday but that appearance was rescheduled for June 3.
Scheffler will return to action on the PGA Tour at the Charles Schwab Classic on Thursday