TIGER WOODS SUFFERS MULTIPLE LEG INJURIES IN HORRIFIC VEHICLE ACCIDENT
The 15-time major golf champion, Tiger Woods was rushed to the hospital after his one-vehicle rollover crash that occurred yesterday. It was reported that the SUV he was driving crossed a median and veered across two lanes of road before hitting a curb, then a tree and landing on its side in the brush.
Woods was driving a Genesis SUV courtesy vehicle, and is believed to have been traveling at a high rate of speed. County Sheriff, Alex Villanueva, added that there were no skid marks or other indications of braking on the road. Villanueva said that section of road is "downhill on a curve," and he and Gonzalez said the area is known as a trouble spot for speeding and accidents.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy, Carlos Gonzalez, responded to the crash. Upon arrival, the Deputy found Woods in the car that had rolled over onto the driver’s side door, still strapped into his seat belt but trapped. Gonzalez found that Woods seemed not only lucid, but calm and not concerned about his injuries, potentially pointing to shock. Deputy Gonzalez added that he kept him talking in hopes of keeping him from going further into shock.
"I do think the fact that he was wearing a seat belt and that the vehicles safety features worked as designed by the manufacturer, likely resulted in either reducing his injury or saving his life," Gonzalez stated.
In order to free Woods from the vehicle, Los Angeles County Fire officials broke the windshield with the ax and used the bar to pry the seats and metal from around Woods' legs.
Medics on scene stated that Woods was unable to walk out of the scene himself and was rushed to the hospital.
The County Sheriff added that the 45-year-old remained conscious but sustained serious leg injuries.
According to Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anish Mahajan, Orthopedic trauma specialists inserted a rod into Woods’ tibia to stabilise both the tibia and fibula bones. With a combination of screws and pins, specialists were able to stabilise the foot and ankle bones. They relieved pressure to the muscle and soft-tissue of his leg by surgically releasing the covering of the muscle.
Deputies on scene did not find any evidence of impairment, according to Villanueva.
Well wishes have poured in for the champion golfer, with many celebrities, including Barack Obama adding their voice to the support.
Sending my prayers to @TigerWoods and his family tonight—here’s to a speedy recovery for the GOAT of golf. If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s to never count Tiger out.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 24, 2021
Read the official statement from the Tiger Woods' camp regarding his current state, and check out the CBS Sports HQ video below for more.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 24, 2021