PGA Championship winner Scottie Scheffler has all charges dropped against him following an arrest outside Valhalla Golf Club earlier this month. Surveillance footage and an internal investigation revealed inconsistencies in the initial account given by the arresting officer.
Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, has had all charges dropped against him stemming from his arrest outside Valhalla Golf Club during the PGA Championship on May 17th. Scheffler was initially detained and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer (a felony), criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.
However, on Wednesday, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell filed a motion to have all charges dismissed. O'Connell stated that the totality of the evidence did not support moving forward with the prosecution.
Surveillance footage from the scene showed inconsistencies with the initial account given by Officer Bryan Gillis, who alleged that he was dragged and injured by Scheffler's vehicle. An internal investigation also revealed that Gillis failed to turn on his body camera and did not follow proper protocols during the incident.
In a statement released on Instagram, Scheffler expressed relief that the charges had been dropped. He characterized the incident as a "misunderstanding" and expressed no ill will toward Officer Gillis.
"I hold no ill will toward Officer Gillis," Scheffler wrote. "I wish to put this incident behind me and move on, and I hope he will do the same. Police officers have a difficult job and I hold them in high regard. This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation."
The traffic jam that led to Scheffler's arrest occurred after a man was fatally struck by a vehicle outside the golf club. Scheffler expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased individual.
"My thoughts and prayers continue to be with John Mills and his family, and I hope to personally offer my condolences now that the case is over. May John rest in peace," Scheffler said.
Following the dismissal of the charges, the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) released a statement indicating that previously unreleased videos and documents would be released now that the investigation and case were closed.
"We respect the County Attorney’s decision, and we respect the judicial process. LMPD will remain focused on our mission to serve the city of Louisville and mitigate violent crime," the statement read.
Scheffler's legal team had previously argued that the charges against him were excessive and disproportionate to the circumstances of the incident. They claimed that Scheffler was attempting to leave a traffic jam when his vehicle came into contact with Officer Gillis's foot.
With the charges dropped, Scheffler is free to focus on his golfing career. He is currently ranked number one in the world and is expected to compete in the upcoming U.S. Open.
