PGA golfer Scottie Scheffler has spoken out after his charges were dropped.
“Earlier today, I was informed by my attorney, Steve Romines, that all charges were formally dismissed in regard to the incident outside of Valhalla Golf Club on May 17,” Scheffler wrote via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, May 29. “As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate misunderstanding.”
Scheffler noted that he holds “no ill will” toward Officer Gillis. “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,” he continued. “This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation.”
Scheffler expressed his gratitude for the support he’s received over the past two weeks and said he wanted to “encourage everyone to remember the real tragedy of May 17.”
Scottie Scheffler had an uncontroversial start to the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship. Us Weekly confirmed Scheffler, 27, was detained by the Louisville Metro Police on Friday, May 17, after an accident involving a struck pedestrian led to local law enforcement stopping the road outside the Valhalla Golf Club. “At about 5:07 this […]
“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,” he concluded. “May John rest in peace.”
Scheffler’s statement comes hours after news broke that the charges against him had been dropped. ESPN reported that Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell stated in a court hearing that prosecutors wouldn’t be moving forward with the case. (Scheffler did not attend the hearing.)
Scheffler was facing charges including felony assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic.
Earlier this month, Scheffler was arrested after he tried to drive into the Valhalla Golf Club parking lot for the PGA Championship. Prior to the incident, a pedestrian had been struck and killed by a shuttle bus outside Valhalla — which led traffic to be redirected.
Gillis “stopped” Scheffler and “attempted to give instructions,” per a police report. But Scheffler “refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground.”
Scottie Scheffler has given credit to wife Meredith Scheffler throughout his golf career. The couple met when they were teenagers attending Highland Park High School in Texas and then exchanged vows in December 2020. In April 2022, Meredith caddied for her husband during the Par 3 Contest ahead of the 86th Masters Tournament at Augusta […]
Us Weekly confirmed that Scheffler had been detained by police. “While an officer was directing traffic, an encounter with a motorist attempting to make entry into a restricted area ultimately led to the driver being arrested,” the Louisville Metro Police Department said in a statement to Us at the time. “We are in the process of conducting a thorough investigation. We are appreciative that all parties involved are fully cooperating.”
Major Jason Logsdon told ESPN that Scheffler was released without bail and arrived back to Valhalla less than one hour before his tee time.
Scheffler subsequently addressed the incident in a statement via X. “This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers,” he wrote. “It was a very chaotic situation, understandably so considering the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do. I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.”
He continued: “Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective.”
