World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler says his arrest outside Valhalla Golf Club last month was “fairly traumatic” and that his legal team was prepared to file a civil lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Scheffler was arrested and charged with numerous violations prior to the second round of the PGA Championship. Including felony second-degree assault of a police officer.
Charges though, were dropped, after it became clear the arresting officer did not have enough evidence to support his claim. The officer said he was dragged to the ground during the incident. Police were there due to a fatal accident involving a pedestrian.
Since that time, Scheffler told reporters ahead of this week’s Memorial Tournament, it’s actually been a more consistent source of conversation about an incident he’d like to put in the rearview mirror.
“The charges are dropped, but I still … now it’s almost more appropriate for people to ask me about it,” Scheffler said. “And to be honest with you, it’s not something that I love reliving, just because it was fairly traumatic for me being arrested going into the golf course.”
The Masters champ even mentioned that mugshot.
“It was definitely a bit of a relief, but not total relief because that’s something that will always kind of stick with me,” he said. “That mug shot, I’m sure is not going anywhere anytime soon.”
RELATED: Police Officer Responds To Scheffler Charges Being Dropped
Scottie Scheffler: Lawyer Was Considering Lawsuit After Arrest
Perhaps more interesting are Scottie Schefller’s comments that his lawyer was prepared to pursue a civil lawsuit against the LMPD.
You may recall that part of the agreement to drop the charges held that “both sides agree not to pursue any legal action related to the ramifications of the May 17 arrest”.
That bit of information was a godsend for the department.
Scheffler’s lawyer, Steve Romines, said the day charges were dropped that his client had “a very viable civil claim.”
Scheffler confirmed that it had been discussed, but he ultimately opted not to pursue legal action. Or at least agreed not to, because he didn’t want the people of Louisville to have to pay.
“That was something that if we needed to use it, I think Steve was more than ready to use that, just because there was a ton of evidence in our favor,” he said. “I don’t really know how to describe it, but basically if I had to show up in court, I think Steve was more than prepared to pursue legal action.”
“I did not want to have to pursue legal action against Louisville because at the end of the day, the people of Louisville are then going to have to pay for the mistakes of their police department, and that just doesn’t seem right.”
RELATED: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler Takes High Road After Charges Are Dropped
Officer Insists There Was No False Arrest
While Scottie Scheffler took the high road after charges were dropped, the arresting officer did not. Detective Bryan Gillis, free from worries of a civil lawsuit, issued a statement insisting he was not in the wrong.
“To be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground, and I received visible injuries to my knees and wrist,” Gillis insisted. “I’m going to recover from it, and it will be OK. This is the extent of my commentary on the incident.”
He also complained that his pants were destroyed. Scheffler reiterated the idea of a lawsuit was not necessarily his, but the lawyer was locked and loaded.
“So at no point did I ever want to sue them, but if it came there, I think my lawyer was more than prepared to use that as more of like a bargaining chip-type thing more than anything,” said Scheffler.
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