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Tiger Woods Found Asleep in Running Car, No Alcohol in His System, During Palm Beach County DUI Arrest: Police Report

"What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications," Woods said in a statement after his arrest Monday, taking responsibility for his actions

Legendary pro golfer Tiger Woods was asleep at the wheel of his car and confused but cooperative when he was arrested early Monday morning in Palm Beach County, Florida, on suspicion of DUI, according to a police report released Tuesday.

No alcohol was detected in his system but the report listed four medications, including Vicodin, that Woods told police he was taking. 

A Jupiter police officer saw a black Mercedes stopped in the right lane near the intersection of Military Trail and Indian Creek Parkway just after 2 a.m., according to the probable cause affidavit. The officer approached the car and had to wake up Woods, who was in the driver's seat with his seat belt on and the car running.

Woods' speech was "extremely slow and slurred, mumbled [and] confused" and he was "extremely sleepy," according to the report. He initially told the officer he was coming from Los Angeles for a golf trip before changing his story and saying he didn’t know where he was – asking the officer how far he was from his Hobe Sound home. He was cooperative "as much as possible," the report said. 

Woods failed several field sobriety tests and was taken into custody. The arrest report did not list a specific drug as the reason for his DUI, which the 14-time major champion said was the case in a statement Monday night, in which he said alcohol was not involved and that he had an "unexpected reaction" to a prescription medication he was taking. The officer wrote that Woods said he takes several prescription medications. 

He passed his breath test — twice scoring a .000 — and was given a mandatory court date for July 5 in a Palm Beach Gardens courtroom.

The report indicated that Woods told officers that he was recovering from surgery. 

Woods has had four back surgeries since 2014, the latest in April. Painkillers are generally prescribed after such surgeries, and many carry warnings to avoid driving while taking them. Other medicines, including over-the-counter allergy medicine or anti-anxiety medicines, can also cause drowsiness and include warnings about driving. 

The FDA warning for Vicodin says it "may impair the mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery; patients should be cautioned accordingly."

"I understand the severity of what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions," Woods said in a statement to NBC News after his arrest. "I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved. What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn't realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly." 

Woods apologized to his family, friends and fans and said, "I expect more from myself, too." 

"I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again," he said. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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