Scottie Scheffler has shared a statement after he was arrested while trying to enter the one of the PGA Championship's golf courses.
Scheffler was arrested today (May 17) on four charges including second degree assault of a police officer, along with lesser charges of third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic.
In his statement shared on Instagram, Scheffler addressed the incident as he wrote: "This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers.
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"It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do," he continued.
"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."
A spokesperson for the PGA has told CNN: “As this is an ongoing situation, we will let you know of any updates as they come.”
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ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington was at the scene and witness the golfer being arrested while trying to enter the golf course.
Scheffler had attempted to bypass traffic resulting from an accident, and a police officer instructed him to stop.
Darlington said that Scheffler had driven for a further 10 or 20 yards after the instruction before pulling over as he turned into the golf course.
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After he pulled over the officer told Scheffler to get out of the car.
Describing what happened next, Darlington said: “He rolled down the window, the police officer grabbed his arm and started pulling at it.
"He reached inside, opened the car door, pulled Scheffler out, pushed him up against the car, immediately placed him in handcuffs.”
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Traffic had been blocking the road following a fatal car accident.
A statement on the incident from Louisville Metro Police Department said: “About 5:00 this morning, the LMPD responded to a call of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian and a bus.
“Our preliminary investigation found that an adult male pedestrian was crossing Shelbyville Road south to north when he was struck by a shuttle bus that was travelling eastbound in the compulsory centre lane dedicated for buses.
“As a result, the pedestrian received fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene. The LMPD Traffic Unit is investigating.”
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UNILAD has reached out to representatives of Scottie Scheffler for comment.
Emily Brown