Last month, Tiger Woods was arrested on DUI charges after being pulled over for reckless driving by police in Jupiter, Florida.
Video from Woods’ arrest showed the golf legend stumbling, slurring his words, and struggling to answer the most basic questions from police.
It was later revealed that a Breathalyzer test showed Woods had no alcohol in his system at the time of his arrest, and his inebriation was attributed to various pills he’d been prescribed by his doctor.
But while Woods’ team seemed to feel that the 41-year-old was somewhat exonerated by the revelation that he had not been drinking and that the pills he had taken were the result of a recent back surgery, the golfer still has a lot to answer for.
In the eyes of the law, driving under the influence of prescription medications is just as punishable as driving drunk.
And victim advocacy groups like MADD are arguing that it’s vital for Woods to be prosecuted, so as to send the message that all forms of inebriated driving are equally potentially fatal.
The repercussions for Woods could include changes to his custody arrangement with ex-wife Elin Nordegren, and Radar Online reports today that the troubled icon is hoping to get in front of the situation by checking into rehab.
“Tiger visited the hospital with his children on June 2, then went alone two days later to complete paperwork and his assessment,” a source close to Woods tells the site.
“If Tiger gets caught up in a scandal, he could face losing the 20 percent custody he currently has,” the tipster adds.
No word on how the insider arrived at that 20 percent figure, but Woods’ divorce from Nordegren wasn’t exactly civil, so it stands to reason that their custody agreement is a frequent point of contention.
Woods will likely experience the fallout from his latest scandal for many years to come, what with the potential loss of endorsement deals and possible punitive action from the PGA.
It seems that he’s aware that the best he can do these days is run damage control and hope to limit the long-term consequences.
Say what you will about Tiger Woods, the man is no stranger to PR crises, and we’re sure he’s learned a thing or two from past controversies.