An eyewitness says the pro golfer appeared 'agitated and impatient' before he was allegedly speeding and 'took off fast' from a hotel in California where he was staying.
- Feb 24, 2021
AceShowbiz - A new video showing moments before Tiger Woods' bad single-car accident has surfaced online. The video captured the pro-golfer driving on Hawthorne Blvd on Tuesday morning, February 23, minutes before the collision.
The surveillance footage obtained by TMZ shows Tiger's Genesis GV80 SUV heading uphill, trailing behind a minivan at just past 7:05 A.M. PT. A logo of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament, for which the athlete was in town, is seen on the car's door.
The video was taken roughly 5 miles south of where the accident took place. Cops said they received a call about Tiger's crash at 7:12 A.M., which means the video was taken just minutes before he crashed downhill where he'd likely be carrying more speed into the turns.
"On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7:12 AM, LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes," officials confirmed. "The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage."
Tiger was wearing a seat belt during the crash, which possibly saved his life. L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva additionally noted during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, "Thankfully the interior was more or less in tact, which gave him the cushion to survive. Otherwise, it would have been a fatal crash."
It was initially reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department that firefighters needed the jaws of life to extract the golf legend from the vehicle, but it was later clarified that the device was not used. Instead, an axe was used to break the front windshield.
Tiger was lucid and calm when he was still in the vehicle, but Deputy Carlos Gonzalez said he was potentially in shock. He was then transported to the trauma center at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in stable condition with serious injuries, including a compound fracture and a shattered ankle, that required a surgery.
A source who saw Tiger at a hotel he was was staying said the 15-time major champion almost hit another car and appeared "agitated and impatient" before he "took off fast" from his hotel. Golf Digest additionally reports that the 45-year-old was scheduled to arrive at Riviera Golf Course at 7:30 A.M. PT for a shoot that morning to give NFL star Drew Brees lessons.
Riviera is at least an hour drive from the resort Tiger was staying, which meant he knew he was running late if he was heading outside just before 7 A.M., hence the reason why he was possibly speeding.
Authorities, however, said there was no immediate evidence that Tiger was impaired. They checked for odor of alcohol or other signs he was under the influence of a substance, but did not find any.
