Golfer Scottie Scheffler’s criminal charges dropped by authorities

Authorities have dropped the criminal charges against golfer Scottie Scheffler, who was arrested earlier this month in Louisville during the PGA Championship.

During a hearing Wednesday, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell asked the judge to drop the charges, stating his team reviewed the case in a “thorough and expeditious manner,” the Associated Press reported.

“Based upon the totality of the evidence, my office cannot move forward in the prosecution of the charges filed against Mr. Scheffler,” O’Connell reportedly said. “Mr. Scheffler’s characterization that this was ‘a big misunderstanding’ is corroborated by the evidence.”

The judge accepted the dismissal motion, the AP reported.

Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, was arrested on May 17 while trying to drive into Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville for the PGA Championship.

Traffic was stopped for about a mile in both directions around the golf club due to a pedestrian crash involving a shuttle bus early that morning, authorities said.

As Scheffler tried to drive around the crash scene, Detective Bryan Gillis said he instructed him to stop, but the golfer “refused to comply and accelerated forward.” Gillis attempted to attach himself to Scheffler’s car and was “dragged” by the vehicle and later hospitalized, the AP reported.

Scheffler was arrested at the scene and charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle and three demeanors. He was later released and returned to the golf course a few hours after the arrest.

The county prosecutor said his office’s review prompted his request to have the charges dismissed.

“The evidence we reviewed supports the conclusion that Detective Gillis was concerned for public safety at the scene when he initiated contact with Mr. Scheffler,” O’Connell said, per the AP. “However, Mr. Scheffler’s actions and the evidence surrounding their exchange during this misunderstanding do not satisfy the elements of any criminal offenses.”

Scheffler’s attorney, Steven Romines, told reporters Wednesday, his team is “pleased” the case was dismissed.

In a statement following his arrest, Scheffler said it was a “very chaotic situation” and there was a “big misunderstanding” of the police’s directions.

“I never intended to disregard any of the instructions,” he said.

Surveillance video released by Louisville police last week showed Gillis pursuing Scheffler’s vehicle on foot and stopping him before the golf course. He is later seen being pulled from the car and handcuffed, but the video did not show the moment of Gillis’s first interaction with Scheffler and Gillis has since been reprimanded for not activating his body camera at the time, the news wire reported.

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) on Wednesday said it “respects” the county attorney’s decision.

“LMPD will remain focused on our mission to serve the city of Louisville and mitigate violent crime,” a LMPD spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill.

The Hill reached out to O’Connell’s office for further comment.

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