Tiger Woods is not expected to face any criminal charges stemming from a severe car crash on Tuesday.
The pro golfer suffered significant injuries when his car rolled, traveling several hundred feet during a single-car wreck on Tuesday morning. He was the only passenger. Woods was wearing his seatbelt.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday afternoon the incident was “purely an accident,” which is an infraction, not a crime, such as reckless driving.
“We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash,” Villanueva said in a Facebook Live chat. “This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime. They do happen, unfortunately.”
Villanueva added that the black box from Woods’ SUV will be pulled and examined for more incident details.
Authorities said Tuesday afternoon they did not suspect Woods was impaired at the time of the crash. Speed may have been a factor, Villanueva noting the area has been problematic in the past; downhill with a curve.
Woods is “awake, responsive and recovering,” his doctor said in a statement Tuesday evening. The 45-year-old golfer suffered multiple “open fractures” and had a “long surgical procedure” on his lower right leg and ankle, according to his doctor, Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
“Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia,” Mahajan said. “Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the leg required the surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling.”
