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U.S. NEWS Saturday 28 OctOber 2017

Tiger Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving, avoids jail

By CURT ANDERSON with the charitable group,
TERRY SPENCER but said he met the terms
Associated Press of the deal. Woods also at-
PALM BEACH GARDENS, tended a workshop where
Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods victims of impaired drivers
pleaded guilty Friday to detail how their lives were
reckless driving in a deal damaged.
that will keep him out of jail Aronberg said most DUI of-
as long as he stays out of fenders do not qualify for
trouble, resolving charges the diversion program be-
from an arrest last spring cause they have a prior
in which he was found record or were in an acci-
passed out in his Mercedes dent. About 2,500 first-time
with prescription drugs and offenders have graduated
marijuana in his system. from the county program
Woods spoke only briefly since it began four years
during a hearing at a Palm ago. “This is designed for
Beach County courthouse, first-time offenders, where
answering questions from the person made a one-
a judge about his plea time mistake and they’re
agreement. Prosecutors going to overcome it,” Ar-
dropped a driving under onberg said. “Mr. Woods
the influence charge for was treated like any other Golfer Tiger Woods, center, leaves the North County Courthouse in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.,
the superstar golfer, and defendant in his situation.” Friday Oct. 27, 2017, after pleading guilty to a reckless driving charge.
the judge warned him to Since he was intoxicated (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
behave. “This particular with prescription drugs and alcohol. Woods arrived at walked down a hallway 2 a.m. May 29 when officers
plea agreement has no jail marijuana, according to the courthouse in a black inside the courthouse and found him unconscious in
time on it. However, if you court records, he will also sport utility vehicle, wear- they ringed the inside of his Mercedes, which was
violate your probation in be required to undergo ing sunglasses and a dark the courtroom during the parked awkwardly on the
any significant way, I could regular drug tests. Woods suit with no tie. Police offi- high-profile proceeding. roadside and had damage
revoke your probation and is also not allowed to drink cers surrounded him as he Woods was arrested about to the driver’s side.q
then I could sentence you
to jail for 90 days with a fine Cops:
of up to $500, is that un-
derstood?” Judge Sandra Idaho woman intentionally drove off cliff with 3 kids
Bosso-Pardo said.
Woods, 41, nodded. He BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An two daughters and son in- that Bankhead was driving marks in making its determi-
did not make any state- Idaho woman who drove side. The vehicle sank in 40 on a state highway when nation that Bankhead act-
ment during the hearing or her sport utility vehicle off feet (12 meters) of water in she turned off and posi- ed deliberately. Toxicology
outside the courthouse. a cliff and into a reservoir in Lucky Peak Lake. tioned the car toward the tests found no medication
Woods will enter a diver- a crash last year that killed The bodies of Bankhead cliff, then suddenly accel- or alcohol in Bankhead’s
sion program and spend her and her three young and 13-year-old Anika Vo- erated. system.
a year on probation and children did so deliberate- ermans, 11-year-old Logan Officials said they found Sheriff’s spokesman Patrick
pay a $250 fine and court ly, officials said Friday. Voermans and 8-year-old nothing mechanically Orr declined to comment
costs. He has already met The June 2, 2016, deaths Gwyneth Voermans were wrong with the vehicle but on Bankhead’s motive.
some of the program’s were ruled a triple homi- recovered and the vehicle, were unable to recover Bankhead went through a
other requirements, com- cide-suicide by the Ada with a crushed roof, was information from a water- divorce about two years
pleting 50 hours of com- County Coroner’s Office, pulled from the reservoir. damaged device on the before the crash. Her obitu-
munity service at the Tiger the office said in a state- The cause of death for all vehicle that records speed, ary described her as an
Woods Foundation, Palm ment. four was drowning associ- acceleration and break- avid runner and full-time
Beach County State Attor- Officials said 40-year-old ated with blunt force trau- ing. working mom who had
ney Dave Aronberg said. Noel Bankhead drove a ma. The Ada County Sheriff’s worked as a paralegal and
Aronberg didn’t say spe- Land Rover off a 50-foot Authorities said that wit- Office cited witness state- legal secretary for more
cifically what Woods did (15-meter) cliff with her nesses told investigators ments and lack of skid than 20 years.q