Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, have been dismissed.
Scheffler had been arrested in the early hours before the start of the PGA Championship in Louisville on May 17.
Driving the news: Scheffler was charged with one felony – assaulting a police officer with his vehicle – and three misdemeanors.
- During the incident, Detective Bryan Gillis was directing traffic outside the Valhalla Golf Course when he encountered Scheffler, who was driving a PGA courtesy vehicle.
- Scheffler’s vehicle allegedly refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Gillis to the ground.
- After reviewing the evidence in the case, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell asked the judge to drop the charges against Scheffler, as his actions and the exchange between him and Gillis didn’t satisfy the elements of any criminal offenses.
Go deeper: Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the officer was not dragged by Scheffler’s car.
- Louisville police released a surveillance video of the incident, but the video didn’t show Gillis’ first contact with Scheffler.
- Gillis has since been disciplined for not activating his body-worn camera during the arrest, and there are grounds for a civil lawsuit against the Louisville police department, according to Scheffler’s attorney.
- Scheffler, who spent a brief stint in jail, finished tied for eighth place in the PGA Championship.
