Tiger Woods crashed in an area that has had issues in the past. The street where the accident occurred runs through Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes in the Los Angeles area. According to USA Today, the speed limit in the area is 45 mph, but the issues happen due to the roads moving downhill quickly.
“I couldn’t tell you how many tickets in the past year, but we regularly cite people for speed on that section of Hawthorne Boulevard,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Michael White told USA Today. “It’s a steep downhill grade, and it’s steep enough to warrant two runaway truck lanes.” One sheriff’s deputy said he’s recorded cars doing 80 mph, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said “that area has a high frequency of accidents.”
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TMZ obtained video footage of Woods driving just minutes before the crash. It is not known how fast he was driving, but it was reported he lost control of his Genesis GV80 SUV, hit the median and flipped the vehicle, leading to a neighbor calling 911. Woods was extricated from the vehicle and was sent to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where he was treated for broken bones in his right leg, foot and ankle.
“A reckless driving charge has a lot of elements into it. This is purely an accident,” Sheriff Villanueva explained. “We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. “This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime.” USA Today couldn’t obtain a record of accidents in the area. However, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn called for a safety review on of the road, noting, “Anyone who has driven the stretch of Hawthorne Blvd where Tiger Woods crashed his car will tell you how easy it is to pick up speed on that hill.”
It’s not known how Woods lost control but Shelley Smith of ESPN reported that the golf legend was on his way to meet with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and was running late.
“It was an Oprah Winfrey production and it’s scheduled to air in June,” Smith said. “So they were all there waiting for him. His call time was at 8. He’s always early, and there were like ‘Where is he?’ They couldn’t find him.”
