“Second-degree assault, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic.”
After hearing these charges, and without knowing the suspect, what would you think?
Some might want to know more about the incident, but most would probably want to impose judgment and assign guilt without remorse, especially as it involved a police officer.
But some judgments were quickly rescinded when the suspect was revealed to be the world’s no.1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler.
And that’s when the race debate began.
It all started early Friday morning ahead of the second round of the PGA Championship near the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville after a security guard at the event was struck and killed by a shuttle bus.
As police were directing traffic at the scene, Scheffler pulled up for his morning tee time, and that’s when the chaos ensued.
According to Scheffler’s attorney Steven Romines, the golf star was following directions given to him by another police officer.
“He was following the instructions of another traffic control officer and trying to get into the facility to warm up and work out,” Romines said.
In a statement, Scheffler echoed his attorney’s statement, calling it a “big misunderstanding” and expressing his condolences to the family of the man who died earlier that morning.
Scottie Scheffler's statement prior to Round 2 @PGAChampionship. pic.twitter.com/x26RFOqCIa
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 17, 2024
“This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers. 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,” he wrote. “I never intended to disregard any of the instructions. I’m hopeful to put this to the side and focus on golf today.
“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.”
As ESPN’s Jeff Darlington broke down the incident live on air, sports fans waited for more information about the arrest.
When the charges, Scheffler’s mug shot and arrest report were revealed, the reactions erupted.
Some were funny.
