Kentucky prosecutors have dropped all criminal charges against golf champ Scottie Scheffler related to his controversial arrest on May 17, where he was accused of felony assault on a police officer and reckless driving. The incident occurred as Scheffler attempted to drive into the club hosting the PGA Championship in Louisville.
Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell stated that based on the evidence, his office could not move forward with the prosecution of the charges against Scheffler. He noted that Scheffler's characterization of the incident as a "big misunderstanding" was supported by the evidence presented.
The arresting officer, Louisville police detective Bryan Gillis, had stopped Scheffler due to concerns about public safety at the scene. However, O'Connell stated that Scheffler's accounts and actions during the exchange did not meet the criteria for any criminal offense.
The decision to drop the charges came after videos were released by Louisville authorities, showing the moments leading up to Scheffler's arrest. The footage depicted Scheffler being waved around traffic by security at the scene, where police were responding to a previous accident involving a pedestrian.
Scheffler's attorney, Steve Romines, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that they were pleased with the result. The dismissal of the charges brings an end to a controversial incident that garnered attention due to Scheffler's status as the world's top-ranked golfer.