r/sports • u/jawarren1 • May 17 '24

Golf Scottie Scheffler detained by police before start of PGA Championship

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/40162983/scottie-scheffler-detained-police-prior-start-pga-championship
1.7k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

690 comments sorted by

View all comments

202

u/paternal_sugarcane May 17 '24 edited May 17 '24

The notification from ESPN said he was detained for “not understanding the flow of traffic.”

Dude drove up on the median to try to go around a crash site where a man just died. Then turns to Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, and says “Can you help?” after Scheffler was pulled out of his car and placed in cuffs.

Edit: Apprently, he’s already been released by Louisville PD.

344

u/asisoid May 17 '24

Players are in specially marked cars, and others said they did the same exact thing as Scottie with no issues, and the cops just waved them through.

166

u/Srcunch May 17 '24

That’s exactly what they just said on our local news in Cincy. He did what he was told to do and got in trouble for it lol.

9

u/SeriousDrakoAardvark May 17 '24

Source:

“According to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, Scheffler was trying to drive around the crash scene on a median. A police officer instructed Scheffler to stop, but Scheffler continued to drive about 10 to 20 yards toward the entrance.”

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/40162983/scottie-scheffler-detained-police-prior-start-pga-championship

-86

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

50

u/Srcunch May 17 '24

He was told of the procedure beforehand*. This is the same thing they’ve been doing for a few days.

-14

u/DiabeteezNutz May 17 '24

It’s not, because there was an unrelated accident an hour before in which someone died.

-9

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

6

u/Overthehill410 May 17 '24

The players are all quoted in saying that a police officer in another squad instructed them to do that. Apparently every other player did the same to get around the traffic.

-1

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

0

u/SeriousDrakoAardvark May 17 '24

An ESPN reporter was there though:

“According to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, Scheffler was trying to drive around the crash scene on a median. A police officer instructed Scheffler to stop, but Scheffler continued to drive about 10 to 20 yards toward the entrance.”

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/40162983/scottie-scheffler-detained-police-prior-start-pga-championship

12

u/mikey19xx May 17 '24

Well if that’s true dude is gonna get paid lmao

1

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

So is the conspiracy that the cops just hate Scottie?

92

u/YoungDadder May 17 '24

From what I gathered he wasn’t trying to go around the crash site. It was at the entrance to the club.

33

u/vult00 May 17 '24

He was in a PGA-marked car, drove onto a wide shoulder to go around a parked, unmanned bus to enter the golf property where the players were told police would let them through. Reports are that he never "drove up" onto anything, was well within the shoulder lane and did not have any confrontation with the police. Scheffler apparently didnt even know that the guy that was trying to flag him down was a cop.

38

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

If he’s been released, imagine he comes in and just tees off and wins this whole thing.

Like listen I’m not theorizing what occurred here until we get confirmation of everything but to be detained by police and then roll up and do your job - especially one of a sport - would be some mental fuckery.

25

u/f-Z3R0x1x1x1 May 17 '24

wins this whole thing

I mean...that was his goal prior to this incident lol

11

u/xavier120 May 17 '24

Some people say he plays golf and stuff so it's definitely a possibility.

3

u/[deleted] May 17 '24 edited Jun 26 '24

reply license dolls ask deer special nine offend support squash

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

1

u/silviazbitch Chelsea May 17 '24

I know you’re making a different point, but FWIW a little birdie told me they moved his tee time back a couple of hours after the incident, otherwise he wouldn’t have teed off, which would’ve teed off a whole bunch of people, although from what I’ve read about the LMPD that would’ve been par for the course. At least they didn’t put a hole in one of his livers.

3

u/jnecr May 17 '24

What was his original tee time?

1

u/silviazbitch Chelsea May 17 '24

8:48 AM

2

u/[deleted] May 17 '24 edited Jun 26 '24

piquant workable tender ink many fly lock office lavish worm

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

2

u/my_dogs_a_devil May 17 '24

Not sure that can be nailed to a T

→ More replies (0)

88

u/JediTrainer42 May 17 '24

Pretty sure that’s something you ticket a driver for, not fucking drag him away in handcuffs. Police are stupid sometimes.

39

u/cpthornman May 17 '24

Sometimes?

-16

u/the_seed May 17 '24

Yes, sometimes

0

u/jbokwxguy May 17 '24

You can’t really ticket a car that you can’t stop.

3

u/JediTrainer42 May 17 '24

Did they drag him out of a moving car?

0

u/[deleted] May 23 '24

You can’t run cops over dude

-14

u/sports2012 New York Mets May 17 '24

Not disagreeing that police can be stupid. But you're reacting based on a random reddit comment without all the facts.

4

u/Imightbeworking May 17 '24

I mean go onto ESPN.com it is their main story, their reporter Jeff Darlington was on site and witnessed the whole thing. The article says he drove like 30 yards after being told to stop, rolled down his window to talk to the cop and the cop grabbed him and pulled him out of the car. There is also a video of Scottie asking Jeff to help him and like 5 cops yelling at Jeff that Scottie is going to jail.

Seems pretty open shut that the cops used much more force than what was necessary.

7

u/Liqmadique May 17 '24

Seems pretty open shut that the cops used much more force than what was necessary.

Of course they did because they're completely out of control and cannot handle their emotions. This is the same shit that plays out everywhere in the US.

20

u/RedJohnIs May 17 '24

Nah, the were already making special exceptions for players and his car was clearly marked. This is just another example of a cop being an asshole.

24

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

You forgot the best part...

When Darlington recapped the incident he said, "The police officers at that point did not understand that Scottie Scheffler was a golfer in the tournament nor, of course, that he is the #1 player in the world."

Oh right, that changes everything!!!

217

u/fkdkshufidsgdsk May 17 '24

It does in this instance - players were in marked cars and were the only people allowed to enter the course.

-167

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

That may give him the right to enter the course. But that does not give him the right to bypass a potential crime scene.

Also, Darlington was incorrect. The police knew who he was well before they detained Scheffler. The article quotes an officer who stated to Darlington, "You need to get out of the way," the officer told Darlington. "There's nothing you can do. He's going to jail."

17

u/RedJohnIs May 17 '24

That may give him the right to enter the course. But that does not give him the right to bypass a potential crime scene.

Yes it does because they were allowing ONLY players in marked cars in, which he was one. And many others had already been let in the exact same way without incident.

-12

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

I'm curious about that. Did other players bypass the scene by driving on the median with an officer holding on to their car? Or did they stop, roll down their window, engage with the officers, show their credentials, and get waved through? Listen, if every other player did what Scheffler did without consequence and the cop had a hard on for Scheffler and just wanted to arrest the #1 player in the world, then that cop was just on a power trip. But I'm willing to bet we will hear more from both sides.

5

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

To be honest, I'm not sure anybody knows the full scope at this point. I'm guessing more details will surface. Like I said in my previous comment, maybe the cop was on a power trip. If so, he's an idiot. But my question is... what were the circumstances around the other players just rolling by? Did they drive on the median? Did they stop and show credentials to get waved through? If the charges get dropped within the next 24 hours then we know the cop was wrong. If the case proceeds I'm willing to listen.

1

u/EpiphanyTwisted May 24 '24

So what do you think now? Cop's a liar.

1

u/Stelly414 May 24 '24

I didn't get a chance to watch the full 56 minute dashboard camera video yet. The pole camera video that was released seems to only capture the video of Scheffler being removed from the vehicle after he stopped. I think there's a third video as well so I have a little homework to do still. That cop has a pretty rough history on the job so that looks bad. They still haven't dropped the charges but I won't be surprised if they do.

It's interesting to see how different departments have different body camera procedures. In my department, the body cameras are automatically activated so anytime there is no video of an incident you instantly know that the officer manually shut the video off which triggers an investigation. It looks like Louisville police have to manually activate the camera for every interaction which is a terrible approach. We love the cameras in my department. The rate of guilty pleas has skyrocketed since implementation because very few defense attorneys want the jury to see their client on video, especially in drunk driving cases. We actually did not predict that this would be a result. It's gotten to the point where some defense attorneys have tried to argue that the use of body cameras in traffic stops without the defendant's consent is unconstitutional because it violates their rights against self-incrimination. That argument has not held up thus far but it will be interesting to see how that trends going forward.

Another unexpected result of body cameras was the removal of officer discretion in traffic stops. For instance, before body cameras officers would often exercise discretion before issuing a ticket without the potential of having to explain why. Now that every single stop is recorded, cops are more apprehensive about having to justify their use of discretion so they often err on the side of caution and just issue the ticket. Probably worth the trade off in the end, but I don't think that consequence was foreseen.

So, more information than you were asking for. I don't like the look of the cop here. I wish the body cameras were automatically activated. In a way I want this case to proceed so that there's an opportunity to better expose what happened. Dropping the charges and a note in the cop's file doesn't really help anything. Make that cop take the stand under oath and make his peers do the same.

40

u/thewolf9 May 17 '24

You’re not allowed to drive faster than speed limit either bud

-74

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

That is correct. Even if I were the #1 golfer in the world, I should still be treated like everybody else.

49

u/thewolf9 May 17 '24

Takes like this are hilarious. There is discretion in applying the law. This is one of those situations

-35

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

Agreed. I've worked in law enforcement for 22 years now. The only thing I can say for certain is that we don't know the full story. But there are a few odd details. Driving on a median to get around law enforcement because he thought it was event security? I feel like there is a better approach to get through security if he really thought it was security. The cop was attached to Scheffler's car for 20-30 seconds before Scheffler rolled down his window? I guess we can wait to see what happens with due process. But I still don't agree with Darlington's implication that the police should have handled it differently knowing that he's the #1 golfer in the world. (Downvote button to the left).

47

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

5

u/DOWNVOTES_SYNDROME May 17 '24

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL oh that's a good one

-4

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

Literally my entire job. I'm not an officer. I'm a civilian and I'm actually the guy who holds them accountable.

→ More replies (0)

0

u/cl0udmaster May 17 '24

I knew the bootlicking was coming sooner or later. I could tell by the first comment.

-1

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

You know something... it's kinda odd that my first comment was well received by all subsequent comments are not at all. But hopefully my credit score recovers quickly from the downvotes. It's very stressful.

→ More replies (0)

3

u/Overthehill410 May 17 '24

You keep citing things that make the police look even dumber. Dude was instructed to go that way by other police officers, since you know the traffic was for people to see the golfers. The fact someone died is tragic, but this is a routine occurance for how to handle traffic in those scenarios. It’s akin to teams getting police escorts from their hotels.

2

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

So I fully understand that it’s more than possible that the cop was on a power trip. But I think we need more details here. Yes, they definitely had a work around to allow players through. But based on the article it seems as though Scheffler may not have proceeded the same way as other players. I’m wondering if the other players also drove around over the median. I was part of 3 motor vehicle homicide investigations. For people with access to pass through we would just verify credentials and direct them through an opening. We would never direct anybody over a median. But this jurisdiction could be different. Maybe the cop just saw Scheffler and wanted to get himself on the news. Time will tell. I’m curious to see if the charges get dropped or if they proceed with the case. 

12

u/fkdkshufidsgdsk May 17 '24

Lmao how’s that boot taste

-7

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

A combination of black licorice and shoe polish. With subtle notes of bacon.

72

u/Aftermathe May 17 '24

The players were told they could go around the traffic so that they could get into the clubhouse. Chill out.

-38

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

I'll try my best to chill out. I'm raging so hard over this.

45

u/DyZ814 May 17 '24 edited May 17 '24

Imaging posting this and not knowing that it DOES make a distinct difference in this case lmaoo

13

u/silviazbitch Chelsea May 17 '24

Yeah. In this case it actually does change everything. All of the people in the traffic jam were there to see Scheffler and the other golfers play. The police should’ve given him an escort, or at least waved him through.

-10

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

I'd have to get more details before making that determination. I'm sure we will hear more from both sides as this progresses.

1

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

Agreed. We've become desensitized to NFL players having criminal records. But apparently PGA players can do no wrong. I'm gonna wait and see what details emerge. The cop could have been on a power trip. Scheffler could have been on a power trip. They both could have been on a power trip. Nothing would surprise me.

-3

u/notalaborlawyer May 17 '24

1 player is a bit much of a flex for something that should have been understandable. That is the only knock on Scottie's team's response IMHO. That said, if I were in traffic going to an event to see someone perform, and all of the sudden they got to drive on the median before I did... what is the problem?

The traffic is because of him. If he isn't there, then the people are pissed. Especially if it is because some HS drop-out decided to go on a power trip.

It sucks for us regular folk, but getting the main attraction that is causing traffic to the venue there first is SOP.

2

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

I’m guessing there’s more to the story than we know at this point. Did the other players also drive on the median to bypass the officers? Or did they stop and show credentials before getting waved through. Something seems weird about the whole thing. Officer holding on to the side of his car for 20-30 seconds before he stops and rolls down his window? I guess we will have to wait and see. If the charges get dropped quickly then we know the officer was just on a power trip. Could Scotty have been on a power trip? I think a lot of things are possible here. Let’s see if the charges hold and what details emerge. 

1

u/notalaborlawyer May 17 '24

My guess is as good as yours. However... In a few weeks there is going to a very prestigious tournament (No, not a major) hosted in my town. It is Jack's. The Memorial.

As a long-time patron, volunteer, etc. IF the Dublin PD didn't bend over backwards for even the last person to get an invite, they would be seriously reprimanded.

This is from a wealth-ass suburb that doesn't exactly need the annual cash, but enjoys it. The entire city is changed. It is a suburb of the capital city. Also, every "courtesy car" is a Lexus with a logo on it so not only do the cops know, but then they get to sell it after.

I am not giving the PD any benefit of the doubt. They had a very important thing with national eyes on them and they just acted like it was a Tuesday. Which is what we really should be focusing on.

(Other reports say players cars were allowed to pass. If so, then nothing else that the cop says matters. He picked beef for some reason even though he was allowed to pass.)

1

u/Stelly414 May 17 '24

You very well could be right. I’ve seen many cops on power trips. But what would the officer’s obligation be if Scheffler happened to be on a power trip or ignoring commands (hypothetically)? Some people may say that being the best player in the world entitles him to special treatment here and the cop should still have let him go. Maybe they’re right. I really want to know the circumstances regarding the other players passing and whether Scheffler acted the same way they did. Hopefully more details emerge. 

4

u/DyZ814 May 17 '24

Players are/were allowed to bypass traffic in these cases (and others were doing it).

-13

u/ajkeence99 May 17 '24

Traffic, yes. Active scene where officers are working because someone died and then the officer told him to stop, no.

5

u/DyZ814 May 17 '24

The reports have literally said that other players were easily bypassing the scene lol.

-6

u/ajkeence99 May 17 '24

And? Did they also ignore commands to stop? What happened to other people has exactly zero bearing on this situation.

1

u/DyZ814 May 17 '24

Hopefully they did.

-2

u/JediTrainer42 May 17 '24

Pretty sure that’s something you ticket a driver for, not fucking drag him away in handcuffs. Police are stupid sometimes.

-13

u/[deleted] May 17 '24

[deleted]

3

u/Rallye_Man340 May 17 '24

Awful behavior from whom?

11

u/Owensboro22 May 17 '24

The police.

1

u/Rallye_Man340 May 17 '24

Yeah I know, I was just asking him lol

-8

u/MyDogIsACoolCat May 17 '24

That’s it!? The front page of ESPN made it seem like cops had an arrest warrant for some serious shit. Click bait sports journalism at it again.

2

u/Deucer22 San Jose Sharks May 17 '24

He was booked for 2nd degree assault of a police officer. That’s a felony.

E: https://www.wave3.com/2024/05/17/professional-golfer-scottie-scheffler-arrested-by-louisville-metro-police/?outputType=amp

3

u/Diablojota Georgia May 17 '24

That was likely so the officer could arrest him. Will see if the body cam footage actually shows any assault (if there is any). Usually officers will stack charges up and let the DA sort it out.

1

u/CAtwoAZ May 17 '24

Will likely get dropped

1

u/Deucer22 San Jose Sharks May 17 '24

Sure, but I wouldn't call ESPN's reporting misleading when he's getting booked for a felony.

1

u/MyDogIsACoolCat May 17 '24

Based on the details released so far, that's going to get thrown out so fast. When I meant 'that's it?', the front page of ESPN (which has since been changed) made it seem like a bunch of police cars were waiting for him at the entrance to the golf course. They had pictures of cops surrounding his car. Seemed like a much more grave situation than a misunderstanding as to whether he could jump the median or not.

-16

u/Bart1009 May 17 '24

What do you mean that's it? If I drove through a scene where a death was being investigated for criminal involvement no more than an hour after it happened and drove 20 yards with a cop hanging off the side of my car I damn sure wouldn't be released to make it to work on time this morning....

5

u/Tatmar May 17 '24

Yeah but if it was at the entrance of your work and all your coworkers in front of you were allowed to go but then they freaked out and a cop jumped on your car out of no where, even though they said it was ok for your companies employees to pull in, wouldn’t you think you should be released?

1

u/mrjimi16 May 18 '24

Just because my coworker was able to get through doesn't mean that when I get there I can still go through.

1

u/EpiphanyTwisted May 24 '24

LOL that never happened.

-4

u/Tatmar May 17 '24

Yeah but if it was at the entrance of your work and all your coworkers in front of you were allowed to go but then they freaked out and a cop jumped on your car out of no where, even though they said it was ok for your companies employees to pull in, wouldn’t you think you should be released?

-2

u/ajkeence99 May 17 '24

I'm going to assume they likely didn't ignore the officers lawful commands and drive over the median around the scene of a death.

-1

u/Bart1009 May 17 '24

Thank you! Not a hard concept to grasp. The cops didn't just single scheffler out and decide to target him. He either did something unlawful or did not follow a command, whether the command was lawful or not would be debatable but we don't have that information.

-2

u/FWitU May 17 '24

Bro, these fucking people are absurd.