Scottie Scheffler's court date postponed after arrest during PGA Championship

Publish date: 2024-04-23

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (TND) — A Kentucky court has postponed pro golfer Scottie Scheffler's appearance on charges that he injured a police officer and disobeyed commands outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club as the venue hosted this year's PGA Championship.

We learned about the postponing after Scheffler, who was handcuffed and briefly jailed on Friday, had been due in court Tuesday, after his May 17 arrest at the PGA Championship for reportedly not following police instructions during a pedestrian fatality investigation. A judge postponed the court date until June 3, according to a statement Monday from Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell.

The world's top golfer is facing several charges including second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic.

ESPN reported he was detained by Louisville Metro Police outside of the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville when he didn't stop for traffic after a man was struck and killed by a shuttle bus around 5 a.m.

Footage was released by ESPN of Scheffler handcuffed and walking toward a police car in the morning darkness, with traffic shut down for about a mile in both directions.

Police said the pedestrian was trying to cross the road when struck by a bus in a lane dedicated to vehicles entering the club. Officials added the man died at the scene.

According to an arrest report obtained by The New York Times, Scheffler was traveling eastbound when he tried to steer his black Range Rover courtesy car into the westbound lane.

Scheffler then reportedly dragged Detective Bryan Gillis to the ground after Gillis tried stopping the vehicle and caused injuries that required medical treatment.

Scheffler's attorney, Steve Romines, said the arrest was "a big misunderstanding" and told The Associated Press "We will litigate the case as it goes."

Scheffler released a statement via his Instagram story shortly after his release:

This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers," he wrote. "It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I'm hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today. Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.

Xander Schauffele went on to win the PGA Championship for his first major championship.

Schauffele became the first player since Phil Mickelson in 2005 at Baltusrol to win the PGA Championship with a birdie on the last hole to win by one.

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Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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