Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is grappling with the lingering effects of his recent arrest, even after all charges were dropped. The criminal charges were dismissed on May 29, two weeks after images of Scheffler being arrested and handcuffed outside Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, emerged.
Scottie Scheffler, who his attorney informed on May 24 that the charges were set to be dismissed, stated, “The charges are dropped, but I still … now it’s almost more appropriate for people to ask me about it. And to be honest with you, it’s not something that I love reliving, just because it was fairly traumatic for me being arrested going into the golf course.”
The incident, which stemmed from a fatal accident involving a pedestrian, John Mills, led to Scheffler being charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle, along with three misdemeanors. Police alleged he did not follow instructions, resulting in the arresting officer being dragged by Scheffler’s car and suffering minor injuries.
A surveillance video released by Louisville police showed Detective Bryan Gillis stopping Scheffler’s vehicle and arresting him, though it did not capture the initial contact. Scheffler’s mugshot, which became widely circulated during the PGA Championship, added to the public scrutiny he faced. “That mug shot, I’m sure, is not going anywhere anytime soon,” Scheffler remarked.
Despite the charges being dropped, Scheffler admitted the incident has had a lasting impact on him. “It was a bit of a relief, but not total relief because that will always stick with me,” he said. “I think that’s part of the recovery process from the whole scenario. Your brain tries to figure out how this happened, and I will probably never figure out why or how this happened.”
Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, indicated there were grounds for a civil lawsuit against Louisville police but stated that Scheffler was not interested in pursuing litigation. “I did not want to have to pursue legal action against Louisville because, at the end of the day, the people of Louisville are then going to have to pay for the mistakes of their police department, and that just doesn’t seem right,” Scheffler explained.
Despite the turmoil, Scottie Scheffler performed well at the PGA Championship, shooting a 66 in the second round and finishing tied for eighth. He played the following week at Colonial but avoided media interactions until his first news conference after the charges were dropped.
After reflecting on the ordeal, Scheffler concluded, “It’s just one of those deals that will always be ingrained in my season this year. But with time, people will forget.”
As the US Open approaches, Scheffler focuses on moving forward and continuing his successful golfing career, determined to put the incident behind him.
