LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) -The officer at the center of the case against pro golfer Scottie Scheffler issued his statement after the charges against Scheffler were dismissed.
In the letter, Detective Bryan Gillis thanked Scheffler for his demeanor throughout the ordeal.
“Mr. Scheffler and I both agree that there will be no ill will over this going forward,” Gillis wrote. “Instead of giving a negative public reaction, he chose to speak with dignity, humility and respect. My family and I appreciate that.”
However, Gillis took issue with claims made by Scheffler’s high-profile attorney, Steve Romines, calling his comments them “unfortunate and disturbing.” During a press conference after the court hearing on Wednesday, Romines said Gillis was never dragged and that it was a “false arrest.”
“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. I’m going to recover from it, and it will be OK.”
During the press conference, Romines also stated the only reason why Scheffler was not suing the Louisville Metro Police Department was that the taxpayers would end up with the bill.
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “And I’ve said repeatedly, the more evidence comes out, the more it shows that Scottie was a victim in all this.”
During the press conference, Romines issued a response when asked about statements made by Scheffler moments after he was read his Miranda Rights. In a video of Scheffler’s arrest, he is heard apologizing and telling the officer he didn’t know Gillis was a police officer when he tried to stop him. Scheffler also tells the officer he was afraid he was late for his tee time, so he decided to move forward and admits he should have stopped.
When asked why the statement Scheffler made in the video did not align with what Romines was saying, Romines said Scheffler was “being interrogated after the most stressful situation of his life” and that Gillis was “asking him leading questions. … And that’s why you don’t talk to police.”
Scheffler’s own words after the hearing were of a different tone than his own attorney.
“As I stated previously, this was an unfortunate misunderstanding,” Scheffler wrote. “I hold no ill will toward Officer Gillis. I wish to put this incident behind me and move on, and I hope he will do the same. Police officers have a difficult job, and I hold them in high regard. This was a severe miscommunication in a chaotic situation.”
Scheffler also talked about the life that was lost that morning during the fatal crash, a sentiment that Gillis echoed.
“The reality is there are more important things in the world right now than a back-and-forth over this,” Gillis said. “A person lost his life that day, and a family lost a loved one. At the end of the day, I take pride in working for the people in the community to preserve their safety.”
Gillis said he would like to continue serving the community as he has for the last two decades “without the distractions caused by this series of events.”
“I wish Scottie Scheffler and his family all the best,” he said.
Gillis ended his statement with a joke about his pants that had ripped during the incident.
“To those concerned, they were indeed ruined. But Scottie, it’s all good,” he said. “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.- Bryan.”
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First appeared on www.wlox.com