LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) 鈥 The Louisville police officer who arrested Scottie Scheffler said he has 鈥渘o ill will鈥 toward the pro golfer for injuries he said he suffered while directing traffic after a fatal accident during the PGA Championship.
A on Wednesday. Jefferson County Attorney Mike O鈥機onnell said Scheffler鈥檚 explanation that he had a misunderstanding May 17 with an officer directing traffic outside Valhalla Golf Club was 鈥渃orroborated by the evidence.鈥
The officer, Detective Bryan Gillis, said he wishes Scheffler and his family 鈥渁ll the best鈥 but took issue with comments by Scheffler's attorney after the Wednesday court hearing. Gillis released the one-page statement to WAVE-TV in Louisville Wednesday night.
Scheffler attorney Steve Romines said his client had been 鈥渇alsely arrested鈥 and has grounds for a civil suit but does not wish to pursue any litigation. Romines said Wednesday that multiple on-scene witnesses can confirm Gillis was not dragged by the car.
Gillis wrote that Romines' claim of a false arrest was 鈥渦nfortunate and disturbing" and a challenge to his 鈥渉onesty and integrity.鈥
鈥淭o be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground and I received visible injuries to my knees and wrist," Gillis wrote. 鈥淚'm going to recover from it, and it will be ok.鈥
Gillis also joked about his torn pants that he mentioned in the initial police report, saying, 鈥淚 never guessed I'd have the most famous pair of pants in the country because of this.鈥
More details of the arrest surfaced in a video online that appears to show Scheffler being interviewed by another officer who is recording on his body camera. Louisville police released two video recordings at the scene of the arrest last week, but neither had audio.
O鈥機onnell said Wednesday that the body camera video wasn鈥檛 released because his office was still investigating the case. A mayor鈥檚 spokeswoman has also confirmed its validity to media.
On the new video, Scheffler acknowledged to the officer that he 鈥渟hould鈥檝e stopped. I did get a little impatient because I鈥檓 quite late for my tee time.鈥 The golfer was preparing to play early in the second round of the four-day tournament but had a 30-minute delay getting to the course.
Romines said the video shows Scheffler being interrogated 鈥渁fter the most stressful situation of his life.鈥
Gillis was disciplined for during the arrest. He wrote in a police report that Scheffler 鈥渞efused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging鈥 him to the ground.
Scheffler said on the recording that his window was down and he heard a person yelling for him to stop, though he didn't know it was a police officer.
鈥淎s he was reaching the car, he grabbed my shoulder and hit me,鈥 Scheffler said. "It seemed to be a little over-aggressive because the entrance was open." He said he pulled away a little 鈥渂ecause I thought he was going to start hitting me.鈥
Louisville police said some videos and documents related to the case will be released at a later date.
