Tiger Woods Won't Face Charges as Car Crash Was 'Purely an Accident,' Says L.A. County Sheriff
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Tiger Woods 'Awake,' 'Responsive and Recovering' After Car Accident in California
The golfing legend was injured in a car accident Tuesday morning and underwent surgery on his legs
Officials have no plans to charge Tiger Woods in connection to Tuesday's car crash that landed him in the hospital, according to the Los Angeles County sheriff.
During a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, LA. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the 45-year-old golfer will not face any criminal charges as the incident was "purely an accident."
"We don't contemplate any charges whatsoever," Villanueva said. "This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime. They do happen, unfortunately."
Villanueva noted during the news conference that Woods did not show evidence of impairment when a deputy first arrived on the scene, so calling in a drug recognition expert was "not a concern at the time."
Andrew Redington/Getty Tiger Woods
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The sheriff also said that investigators will not pursue a misdemeanor charge against Woods such as reckless driving. He noted an infraction could be possible if evidence arises to support that.
"This is what it is, an accident," Villanueva said. "A reckless driving charge has a lot of elements to it. This is purely an accident."
Woods was involved in a single-vehicle accident near the communities of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, located in Los Angeles County, on Tuesday morning.
According to the law enforcement officials, Woods' 2020 Genesis GV80 SUV was traveling downhill when it struck a sign in the center divider, sheared through a tree and landed in the brush alongside the road with "major damage."
First responders had to use tools to help extricate Woods from the vehicle, which had flipped over multiple times.
Splash News Scene of car crash
Woods was transported to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he underwent surgery for "significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity," according to a statement issued to his official Twitter page on Tuesday night.
Anish Mahajan, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, said in the statement that Woods suffered "fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibular bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into" the athlete's leg.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
He also suffered "additional injuries" in his foot and ankle that have been stabilized with "a combination of screws and pins."
According to Woods' team, the golfer is now "awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room."
