The Louisville police officer who arrested Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world, earlier this month released a statement after charges against Scheffler were dropped on Wednesday, standing by the version of events he described in his police report while praising the golfer for his “respect.”
The four criminal charges, including a felony assault charge, against Scheffler were dropped after Jefferson County (KY) Attorney Mike O’Connell said on Wednesday that Scheffler’s version of the incident “is corroborated by the evidence.” Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Bryan Gillis released a statement shortly after the charges were dropped, saying he wants to move past the bizarre incident as “there are more important things in the world right now,” Wave 3 News reported. In a postscript, he also mentioned his $80 pants which he said were ruined during the incident.
“Mr. Scheffler and I agree that there will be no ill will over this going forward. Instead of giving a negative public reaction, he chose to speak with dignity, humility, and respect. My family and I appreciate that,” Gillis said.
The detective then blasted Scheffler’s attorney Steve Romines for calling Scheffler’s detainment a “false arrest.”
“It was unfortunate and disturbing to hear Steve Romines’ commentary today claiming that a ‘false arrest’ was made and for him to challenge my honesty and integrity. I’d be surprised and disappointed if Mr. Scheffler actually had any part in making those statements,” Gillis said.
“To be clear, I was drug by the car, I went to the ground, and I received visible injuries to my knees and wrist,” he added. “I’m going to recover from it, and it will be OK. This is the extent of my commentary on the incident. The reality is that there are more important things in the world right now than a back-and-forth over this. A person lost his life that day, and a family lost a loved one.”
A fatal accident involving a pedestrian stopped traffic on May 17 as Scheffler and other golfers attempted to get to the golf club for the second round of the PGA Championship. Scheffler said he was told by a police officer to drive “the opposite way with the traffic” to get into the golf club, but moments later, Gillis reportedly told Scheffler to stop his vehicle.
The golfer was accused of failing to obey Gillis’ order, which allegedly resulted in the officer being dragged by Scheffler’s car. After Scheffler stopped his car, the golfer was arrested and taken to jail where he was charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic.
After his arrest, Scheffler released a statement, saying the incident was a “big misunderstanding.” Gillis said in his statement that he hopes to move past any distractions “caused by this series of events.”
“At the end of the day, I take pride in working for the people in the community to preserve their safety. I’ve spent two decades trying to protect this city through some challenging times,” Gillis added. “I wish Scottie Scheffler and his family all the best.”
In a postscript, Gillis addressed the $80 pants that he wrote about in his police report, which became the butt of many jokes on social media.
“PS…Yes, the department has us buying freaking $80 pants,” he wrote. “To those concerned, they were indeed ruined. But Scotties, it’s all good. I never would’ve guessed I’d have the most famous pair of pants in the country for a few weeks because of this. Take care and be safe.”
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