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Tiger Woods will not face any charges over his devastating car crash after police said the golfer was not on any drugs or alcohol when his SUV careered off a California road.
Authorities say that Woods, who is recovering from surgery to his badly injured legs, was not under the influence of any substance, despite not performing blood or alcohol tests on him after the accident.
“There was no evidence of any impairment whatsoever,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Facebook on Wednesday.
“He was lucid, no odor of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that. That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is, an accident.”
Mr Villanueva was asked during the online Q&A if Woods would face any criminal charges stemming from the single-vehicle crash in Rancho Palos Verdes, outside of Los Angeles.
“No. A reckless driving charge has a lot of elements to it. This was purely an accident,” he added.
The 15-time major champion crashed a loaned Genesis GV80 SUV while driving downhill on a steep and winding stretch of road shortly after 7am on Tuesday.
He had been on his way from a luxury oceanfront hotel to Rolling Hills Country Club to film a TV teaching lesson with two NFL quarterbacks.
A neighbour who heard the crash called 9/11 at 7.12am and the first police on the scene six minutes later found Woods in the driver’s seat with his seatbelt fastened.
Police say that the golfer was “lucid and calm” but unaware of the extent of his injuries.
Los Angeles County firefighters used a pry tool and an axe to help remove Woods through the SUV’s windscreen and he was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center with significant injuries.
Police said at a press conference after the crash that Woods was “fortunate to be alive” as his car crossed the median, hit a curb and rolled several times before coming to rest in brush.
Woods, 45, completed “a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle” at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center on Tuesday and was described by his team as being “awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room.”
“Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center,” said Dr Anish Mahajan, the center’s chief medical officer.
“Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilised by inserting a rod into the tibia.
“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 surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling.”
Woods had spent the weekend in Southern California as he was host at the 2021 Genesis Invitational, which is sponsored by his foundation.
On Monday he had filmed teaching lessons with former NBA player Dwyane Wade and comedian David Spade for a Golf Digest TV show and had been due to shoot with NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees and Justin Herbert on Tuesday.
He had told Jim Nantz on CBS that he hoped to play in The Masters in April if he got the clearance from doctors over his injured back.
Now it is unknown if Woods will require future surgeries for his leg injuries.
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