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Police officer who tried to stop golfer ‘taken to hospital’ (video)

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Police officer who tried to stop golfer ‘taken to hospital’ (video)

The police officer involved in the incident with Scottie Scheffler outside the entrance to Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning was hospitalized with “pain, swelling and abrasions to his left wrist and knee,” according to Louisville police.

Scheffler was arrested following an incident with a police officer a few hours before his tee time in the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship. He was not involved in another traffic accident outside Valhalla that killed an employee of one of the tournament’s suppliers.

Scheffler was charged with second-degree assault on a police officer, third-degree criminal damage, reckless driving and failure to obey traffic signals. The charges include two misdemeanors, one misdemeanor and one felony (second-degree assault on a police officer).

According to the police report, the officer tried to give instructions to Scheffler, but he did not comply, accelerated forward and pulled the officer to the ground.

“Detective Gillis was directing traffic to Gate 1 of the Valhalla Golf Course as the road was closed in both directions due to a previous fatal accident. The individual on the list was traveling eastbound to gain access to the course. The individual moved into the westbound lane where traffic was flowing from the direction and to avoid congestion.

“Detective Gillis was in the middle of the westbound lanes wearing a full LMPD uniform and a high visibility yellow reflective rain jacket. Detective Gillis stopped the suspect and attempted to give instructions. The suspect refused to comply with his instructions, accelerated, and tackled Detective Gillis to the ground. Detective Gillis suffered pain, swelling, and abrasions to his left wrist and knee. He was transported to the hospital for further medical treatment by EMS personnel.

“Detective Gillis’ uniform pants, valued at approximately $80, were damaged beyond repair.”

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, who broke the news of Scheffler’s arrest, previously reported that “due to a misunderstanding in the flow of traffic, he attempted to drive past a police officer into the Valhalla Golf Club. The officer attempted to hang onto Scheffler’s car, causing Scheffler to stop his vehicle at the entrance to Valhalla. The officer then began yelling at Scheffler to get out of the car. As Scheffler was exiting the vehicle, the officer pushed Scheffler against the car and immediately handcuffed him. He is now being held in the back seat of a police car.”

Steve Romines, an attorney representing Scheffler, told reporters that Scheffler pulled out his press pass and entered the golf course as players were instructed to do.

“Apparently there had been a traffic accident or maybe even a fatality further down the road that had changed the traffic patterns and he was not aware of it,” Romines said. “I think the officer directing traffic may not have been part of the traffic command and that’s why the miscommunication occurred and that’s why we’re here.”

Shortly before his second-round tee time, scheduled for 10:08 a.m. ET, Scheffler issued a statement about the incident.

“This morning I followed the police instructions. It was a very chaotic situation, which is understandable given the tragic accident that had occurred earlier, and there was a huge misunderstanding about what I was supposed to do. I never intended to disobey any instructions. I hope to put that aside and concentrate on golf today.

“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who died in the accident this morning. It really puts everything into perspective.”

The PGA of America released a statement on both incidents on Friday afternoon.

“Our primary concern today is for the family of John Mills, who died in a tragic accident on his way to work early this morning,” the PGA of America said in a statement. “As for the incident involving Scottie Scheffler, we are cooperating fully as local authorities investigate the incident. While the legal process is ongoing, questions should be directed to Scheffler’s attorney or local authorities.”

Scheffler began his round with a birdie putt to move within four shots of leader Xander Schauffele. He finished the day at 5-under-par with a 66, giving him a score of 9-under-par for the week.

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