Tiger Woods “Embarrassing” Car Accident
hotlove2 on 12 1, 2009
Tiger Woods has finally given his version of the “embarrassing” car accident that left him cuts and bruises, as well as public scrutiny he has never seen before, through his Web site on Sunday.
The World No. 1 golfer’s statement, however, did not clarify questions regarding the middle-of-the-night car crash outside his estate in Isleworth in which his wife claimed to have smashed Woods’ Cadillac SUV’s back windows using a golf club to help him get out.
Woods stated on his Web site, “This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
The statement was posted Sunday around 2pm, about one hour after Woods’ lawyer said to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)–for the third consecutive day–that the golfer would not be able to talk to the police.
The lawyer this time did not get a rescheduling.
Sgt. Kim Montes said troopers still went to Woods’ estate but were turned away by Atty. Mark NeJane. NeJane gave the troopers the No.1 golfer’s driver’s license, insurance and registration as the law requires these for such kind of accidents.
Tiger Woods said he intended to keep the matter (the car crash) private.
He said, “Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.”
The golfer is supposed to go to California on Thursday for his Chevron World Challenge but his tournament director is unsure whether he would participate or even attend.
Although Woods has already made his first public statements regarding the 2:25am-accident, he still left several questions unanswered:
Where was he going at such hour?
How did he go out of control at the speed he was travelling and why did the airbags not deploy?
Why was the Cadillac Escalade’s rear windows smashed?
If he indeed just made a mistake, why wouldn’t he speak to the state troopers who are trying to wrap up the case?
Mark Steinberg, Wood’s agent at IMG, stated through an e-mail, “We have been informed by the Florida Highway Patrol that further discussion with them is both voluntary and optional. Although Tiger realizes that there is a great deal of public curiosity, it has been conveyed to FHP that he simply has nothing more to add and wishes to protect the privacy of his family.”
Tiger Woods’ wife did not welcome the state troopers into their home in Orlando on the day of the crash, saying he was asleep. Steinberg called the troopers who were on route to the golfer’s house on Saturday to postpone the meeting to Sunday.
Montes said, “We’re just continuing our traffic crash investigation. If we have somebody who we feel is pertinent to the investigation, then we will interview them.”
The sergeant said they interviewed the 911 caller Saturday, and added that investigators might also interview the other people present at the scene of the accident.
The state patrol released the unidentified neighbor’s 911 call Sunday.
The caller said, “I have a neighbor, he hit the tree. And we came out here just to see what was going on. I see him and he’s laying down,” without ever mentioning Woods’ name.
When asked if the crash victim was unconscious, the caller replied: “Yes”.
Due to bad connection, however, not all parts of the call were audible. At one point, a woman yelled, “What happened!”
The neighbor told the woman, “We’re just trying to get the police here right now. We don’t know what happened. We’re figuring that out right now. I’m on the phone with the police right now.”
FHP’s accident report said Woods just got out of his driveway when he hit a fire hydrant, then crashed to a tree. The golfer said he had cuts and bruises and that he was still a little sore.
Sgt. Montes said they towed Woods’ car for “safekeeping” and that the location of damages on the vehicle as well as the point of impact have already been documented.
Tiger Woods’ accident happened two days after a story, published by the National Enquirer, said he was seeing a night club hostess in New York and that they were together in Australia during the Australian Open.
Rachel Uchitel, the club hostess, denied involvement with the No. 1 golfer.
Gloria Allred, a Los Angeles lawyer, confirmed her representation of Uchitel when she was contacted on Sunday.
Allred said through an e-mail, “She is with me in L.A. We plan to meet and then we’ll decide on the next step, which we do not plan to announce to the press.”
Allred met and escorted Uchitel into a black car when the latter arrived at the LA International Airport on Sunday. Uchitel said nothing to reporters except when she asked to be left alone.
Woods is occasionally criticized for his temper during tournaments but has generally avoided being the topic of news except when talking about his sport. He wrote on his Facebook account in October: “I’m asked why people don’t often see me and Elin in gossip magazines or tabloids. I think we’ve avoided a lot of media attention because we’re kind of boring. …”
