February 24, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
After a lengthy surgery, Tiger Woods woke up in a Los Angeles hospital bed this morning and was “responsive” according to administrators. The golfer is lucky to be alive following the rollover crash of yesterday that could have taken his life.
Woods’ vehicle careened off the road on Tuesday, around 7:18 am local time, and police officers on the scene said the vehicle he was driving seemed to have hit the curb as well as a tree before rolling over multiple times. Deputies onsite at the time reportedly did not see any evidence of “impairment” after arriving at the crash site. The investigation is ongoing while Woods receives cares at Harbor UCLA Medical Centre.
“The front end was totally destroyed, bumpers destroyed, airbags deployed – thankfully the interior was more or less intact, which gave him the cushion to survive what would otherwise have been a fatal crash,” Sheriff Villanueva added.
However, it may have been the luxury $50,000 SUV that saved Tiger Woods’ life: Hyundai’s Genesis GV80 comes with 10 airbags, a forward-collision warning system, evasive steering technology and an interior camera that warns the driver if they fall asleep.
Pictures of the crumpled wreckage on its side – the windscreen smashed out and the airbag deployed – captured the severity of the incident. Woods had been trying to get his body back into shape for the upcoming Masters tournament which is only a few weeks away.
The downhill, sloping road is known for a “high frequency of accidents” said Villanueva, and that the distance the vehicle had traveled, a no signs of skid marks, indicated that Woods had been “going at a relatively greater speed than normal.” Woods was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when the incident occurred. It is thought the first point of impact was a wooden road sign bearing the words “Welcome To Rolling Hills Estates”, which was recovered by police.
Arriving first on the scene was Deputy Carlos Gonzalez who said that Woods was “not able to stand under his own power” before being removed from the vehicle and placed on a backboard. He said that Woods was wearing his seatbelt and was “still calm and lucid” when he told him his name. That seatbelt may have saved Woods’ life.
Earning another Green jacket for the 45-year-old golfer was already looking slim, as he had recently undergone back surgery for the fifth time in January.
The doctor overseeing his surgery said Woods’ right leg and ankle were currently held together by a rod, screws and pins after what was described as a “long surgical procedure”. His injuries are not life-threatening. The golfing star’s team thanked well-wishers for their “overwhelming support”
In May 2017, Woods was found sleeping at the wheel of his vehicle in Palm Beach County and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. A toxicology report later found the athlete to have five prescription drugs in his system. He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving.
