Scottie Scheffler was prepared to take legal action against Louisville police after charges were dropped from his May 17 arrest, the world’s No. 1 golfer announced Tuesday.
For the first time since the charges against him were announced publicly last week, Scheffler explained that he did not want to file a lawsuit, but said he and attorney Steve Romines were prepared to do so following his arrest for second-degree assault of a police officer.
“That was something that I think if we needed it, Steve was more than willing to use that just because, like I said, there was a ton of evidence in our favor,” Scheffler said Tuesday, as quoted by SI.comduring the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
“There were eyewitnesses at the scene who corroborated my story and the video evidence, after which the police officer spoke to me. All the evidence pointed to exactly what my side of the story was, and so if it was necessary… I don’t really know how to describe it, but basically, if I had to appear in court, I think Steve was . more than willing to take legal action.”
Scheffler faced four charges, including second-degree assault on a police officer, following the dramatic events of May 17, when he was arrested upon his arrival for the second round of the PGA Championship. The 27-year-old was accused of speeding in his car when officers told him to stop, dragging Louisville Detective Bryan Gillis to the ground. However, security footage failed to corroborate these claims.
Scottie Scheffler was prepared to take legal action against Louisville police, he said Tuesday
Scheffler was accused of dragging Detective Bryan Gillis (pictured) to the ground with his car
Louisville police released a pair of videos of the incident, neither of which showed Scheffler dragging Gillis to the ground as alleged in a citation.
Although Scheffler previously accused Gillis of hitting him with a flashlight during the arrest, the world’s No. 1 golfer said he did not want to put the city of Louisville through a difficult legal process by filing a lawsuit.
“But ultimately, I didn’t want to take legal action against Louisville because it would make the people of Louisville pay for the mistakes of their police department, and that just doesn’t seem right. ‘ he said.
“So at no point did I ever want to sue them, but if it did come to that, I think my attorney was more than willing to use that as some sort of bargaining chip more than anything.”
Last week, however, Scheffler was acquitted of all charges after the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office filed a motion to dismiss the case, admitting that his claim that it was simply all one big misunderstanding is now “corroborated by the evidence’.
In fixed-mast camera footage, a police officer appears to hit Scheffler’s car while ordering him to stop (left), before the golfer leaves his vehicle and is led away in handcuffs (right)
In light of that outcome, Gillis released a statement praising the golfer for agreeing to move forward with the incident himself, while also paying respects to the family of John Mills – the 69-year-old who was hit by a bus and was killed outside. Valhalla, which caused the traffic problems that led to Scheffler’s arrest.
“A tragic incident occurred and Mr. Mills’ family remains in my family’s thoughts and prayers,” he said of the fatal collision, which caused the traffic jam that led to Scheffler’s arrest. ‘This was a chaotic situation for everyone involved. Ensuring the safety of everyone in the area was my top priority.
‘Mr. Scheffler and I both agree that there will be no ill will about it in the future. Instead of making a negative public response, he chose to speak with dignity, humility and respect. My family and I appreciate that.’