LOUISVILLE, Ky. — All costs in opposition to skilled golfer Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed.
Jefferson County Lawyer Mike O’Connell and Scheffler’s legal professional, Steve Romines, appeared in Jefferson County District Courtroom and agreed to have the fees dropped.
Scheffler was arrested at Valhalla Golf Membership on Might 17 after a separate incident wherein a shuttle bus hit and killed vendor John Mills, who was crossing Shelbyville Highway in Louisville. He was charged with assaulting a police officer, legal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding visitors officers.
Jefferson County Lawyer Mike O’Connell stands outdoors of the courthouse after saying he was dismissing all costs in opposition to professional golfer Scottie Scheffler from an incident outdoors of Valhalla Golf Membership on Might 17, 2024. (Spectrum Information 1/Mason Brighton)
In an announcement to the court docket, O’Connell gave extra particulars of the occasions main as much as Scheffler’s arrest. He stated the Louisville Metro Police Division was making an attempt to coordinate visitors after the deadly accident. A bus was turning round and all vehicles have been stopped from getting into the golf course. Scheffler was making an attempt to enter the course on the identical time. O’Connell stated that is when the interplay between Scheffler and the officer occurred.
O’Connell stated he and his workplace have reviewed the proof and interviewed officers and different witnesses earlier than deciding to dismiss the fees.
In court docket, he stated, “The proof reviewed helps the conclusion that Detective Gillis was involved for public security on the scene when he initiated contact with Mr. Scheffler. Nevertheless, Mr. Scheffler’s motion and the proof surrounding their change throughout the misunderstanding don’t fulfill the weather of any legal offenses.”
The case was dismissed with prejudice, which implies the case is completely over.
LMPD detective Bryan Gillis was the officer who arrested Scheffler. He didn’t activate his physique digicam when he encountered Scheffler and arrested the golfer. Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villarroel stated failure to interact the physique digicam violated LMPD coverage and stated Gillis was recommended by his supervisor however then added, “We perceive the seriousness of the failure to seize this interplay, which is why our officer has acquired corrective motion for this coverage violation.”
Gwinn-Villarroel didn’t say what corrective motion was taken in opposition to Gillis, solely that it was written up and positioned in his personnel file and that it was “according to our disciplinary protocol and practices.”
Scheffler wasn’t in court docket, however Romines spoke to the media after the dismissal. Romines stated he and Scheffler have been ready to maneuver ahead with the case if it wasn’t dismissed.
Scheffler posted an announcement to his Instagram account that stated, “I maintain no in poor health will towards Officer Gillis. I want to put this incident behind me and transfer on, and I hope he’ll do the identical.” The professional golfer added that his ideas and prayers have been with Mills and his household.
Scottie Scheffler launched an announcement on his Instagram tales relating to the dismissal of his costs. (Instagram/Scottie Scheffler)
Romines stated, “There are completely grounds for a lawsuit, he [Scheffler] does not need to be concerned as a result of who pays? The taxpayers. Scottie Scheffler does not need the taxpayers of Lousiville to need to pay him a dime. He needs to maneuver ahead from this case.”
Romines advised reporters his consumer did not know concerning the deadly accident and was simply making an attempt to get to the course. He stated, “Scottie Scheffler. You can’t discover one individual to say a foul phrase about him when he is within the police automobile after being arrested. He was nonetheless an ideal gentleman. It’s outstanding the restraint and character he evidenced [sic] not solely throughout the incident, after the incident, as he is being taken downtown and within the press convention that day. We want extra Scottie Scheffler’s on the planet.”
Scottie Scheffler’s legal professional, Steve Romines, speaks with reporters after he and Jefferson County Lawyer Mike O’Connell dropped all costs in opposition to the professional golfer. (Spectrum Information 1/Scott Neumann)
Gillis stated in an announcement he and Scheffler agreed there will likely be no in poor health will transferring ahead; nevertheless, he was dissatisfied with Romines’ declare describing the occasion as a “false arrest.”
“I would be shocked and dissatisfied if Mr. Scheffler really had any half in making these statements,” Gillis stated. “To be clear, I used to be drug by the automobile, I went to the bottom and I acquired seen accidents to my knees and wrist. I will recuperate from it, and it is going to be OK.”
“That is the extent of my commentary on the incident. The fact is that there are extra vital issues on the planet proper now than a back-and-forth over this. An individual misplaced his life that day, and a household misplaced a liked one.”
After the fees have been dropped, LMPD launched an announcement on social media, saying the division respects the county legal professional’s determination and the judicial course of. It additionally stated extra proof from the incident could be made public. “Movies and paperwork which have been beforehand unreleased as a result of judicial course of will likely be made accessible, after acceptable redactions are made, through Louisville Metro Authorities’s on-line portal.” The put up shared a hyperlink to town’s open data request portal.
Scheffler’s report will likely be expunged inside 60 days.
