Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1. Each segment includes a 2022 update.
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By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando's Tiger Woods suffered serious leg injuries in a single-vehicle rollover crash near Los Angeles on the morning of Feb. 23, and dominated news coverage for days around the world.
This morning @LMTLASD responded to a roll-over collision in which @TigerWoods was injured. Please see our statement... pic.twitter.com/cSWOxKZC1w
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) February 23, 2021
Shortly after reports of the wreck popped up on social media, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department confirmed that Woods was injured in a “single vehicle roll-over traffic collision” just after 7 a.m. this morning.
The 45-year-old had been in California for several days, hosting the Genesis Invitational over the weekend and then participating in a photo shoot with Golf Digest/GOLFTV.
Woods was the only person involved in the crash and has been hospitalized. His vehicle was totaled.
“Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the “jaws of life” by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries,” the LA County Sheriffs’ statement reads.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement after the pro athlete, 45, was “extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics” when his vehicle flipped over several times. The car “sustained major damage” and Woods’ manager later told Golf Digest that he “suffered multiple leg injuries.” The California native was the only passenger in the car.
During a press conference on Tuesday, more details about the crash and Woods’ condition were revealed. Authorities noted that the golf champ was conscious when first responders arrived at the scene, asserting that there was “no evidence of impairment.”
Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva added, “The first contact was with the center median, from there then crossed into the opposing lane of traffic, hit the curb, hit a tree, and there were several rollovers during that process.”
Later that evening, Villanueva addressed concerns from the public on the department’s Facebook page and denied the possibility of Woods facing reckless driving charges.
“This is purely an accident,” the sheriff said. “We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement after the pro athlete, 45, was “extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics” when his vehicle flipped over several times. The car “sustained major damage” and Woods’ manager later told Golf Digest that he “suffered multiple leg injuries.” The California native was the only passenger in the car.
During a press conference on Tuesday, more details about the crash and Woods’ condition were revealed. Authorities noted that the golf champ was conscious when first responders arrived at the scene, asserting that there was “no evidence of impairment.”
Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva added, “The first contact was with the center median, from there then crossed into the opposing lane of traffic, hit the curb, hit a tree, and there were several rollovers during that process.”
Later that evening, Villanueva addressed concerns from the public on the department’s Facebook page and denied the possibility of Woods facing reckless driving charges.
“This is purely an accident,” the sheriff said. “We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that Woods was traveling on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes when the crash took place at roughly 7 a.m. local time. While the department's statement initially claimed that the Florida resident was "extricated from the wreck with the 'jaws of life,'" County Fire Chief Daryl Osby later noted that firefighters simply used an ax and other tools to remove Woods from the severely damaged vehicle.
Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, who arrived at the wreck, claimed in a press conference on Tuesday that the 11-time PGA Player of the Year "seemed as though he was lucid and calm" and was able to tell the officer his name. Woods was in the drivers' seat when the car flipped several times and "didn't seem concerned about his injuries at the time, which is not uncommon in traffic collisions," Gonzalez explained.
Villaneuva added that there were "no skid marks" on the road, indicating that Woods didn't try to slow down before crashing his vehicle. Though he was traveling at a "relatively greater speed than normal," there was "no evidence of impairment."
The golf pro was also wearing his seatbelt, which authorities think saved his life. "The front end was totally destroyed, the bumpers, everything totally destroyed, airbags deployed, all of that," Villanueva said on Tuesday. "However, thankfully the interior was more or less intact, which kind of gave him the cushion to survive what otherwise would have been a fatal crash."
A statement uploaded to Woods' Twitter account on Tuesday night thanked fans for their "overwhelming support" following the accident and shared an update on his progress. "He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital," the statement noted. "He is currently awake, responsive and recovering in a hospital room."
While fielding questions about the wreck on the police department's Facebook page on Wednesday, Villanueva ensured the public that Woods would not be charged with reckless driving. "This is purely an accident," the sheriff stated. "We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime."
Villanueva also reiterated that "there was no evidence of any impairment" from alcohol or "medication, narcotics, or anything like that."
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s interim CEO, Dr. Anish Mahajan, announced via the hospital’s Twitter account on Thursday, Feb. 25, that Woods had been transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. to continue “orthopedic care and recovery.”
Update:
Tiger Woods was speeding when he crashed an SUV in Southern California less than two months ago, leaving the golf superstar seriously injured, authorities said Wednesday.
Woods was driving 84 to 87 mph on a downhill stretch of road outside Los Angeles that had a speed limit of 45 mph, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday.
The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there is an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed.
Villanueva blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel. Sheriff’s Capt. James Powers said there was no evidence that the golfer braked throughout the wreck and that it’s believed Woods inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.
Detectives did not seek search warrants for the athlete’s blood samples, which could have been screened for drugs or alcohol, or his cellphone. Sheriff’s officials said Woods told deputies that he had not ingested medication or alcohol before the crash.
Authorities said there was no evidence of impairment or of distracted driving, so they didn’t have probable cause to get those warrants. Investigators, however, did search the SUV’s data recorder, known as a black box.
No traffic citations were issued. The sheriff said Woods gave permission for authorities to reveal details about the crash.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 7, 2021
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.