Tiger Woods’ road to recovery likely will be long and rough, but he’s not expected to face criminal charges for the rollover crash that shattered his right leg, authorities and medical experts said.
“We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a Facebook Live chat.
“This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime. They do happen, unfortunately,” he said.
Villanueva said Woods could eventually be cited for inattentive driving, but that would be an infraction, not a misdemeanor.
It all depends on the outcome of the investigation and whether deputies get search warrants to determine whether blood drawn at the hospital found anything in Woods’ system, or phone records show he was actively texting or talking around the time of the 7 a.m. crash on the border of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates, he said.
“There was no evidence of any impairment,” Villanueva reiterated Wednesday.
It was shortly after midnight Eastern time on Wednesday that Woods’ Twitter account gave a stark account of the extent of his “significant orthopaedic injuries to his right lower extremity.”
“Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia,” the statement said, adding that Woods was “awake, responsive and recovering.”
“Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins,” it continued. “Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling.”
An orthopedic surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan said the description posted online suggests the golf legend has a tough 12 months ahead of him.
“I think he’s probably in for a long recovery. Anytime somebody has this type of open fracture that’s comminuted and requires a fasciotomy to release pressure on the muscles, it signifies how much trauma there was to the limb. Usually that correlates to a longer recovery. It could take a year for Tiger to return to his prior function,” Dr. Jeremy Podolnick told the Daily News.
Stella's Place 
Now we have to get a search warrant to have blood checked for any drugs/alcohol? My how the favored get royal treatment!
LikeLike
I think that may have to do with either HIPAA or California laws rather than his status as a celebrity. The sheriff made a point that he wasn’t getting special treatment.
LikeLike
I checked a little bit on the law. Since he wasn’t suspected of impairment or arrested for same, the warrant for blood info would seem to be indicated.
LikeLike
I really feel bad for him. And I think it is optimistic to say he will ever “return to his prior function.” I hope that I am wrong.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Unfortunately, I think you are exactly right, Menage. Tiger is 45 years old. This was a devastating injury. He had an open fracture (bone sticking through the skin) that required a fasciotomy (slicing through the muscle casing to relieve severe pressure from swelling). Risk of infection from this situation is huge. It will be a miracle if he is eventually able to walk with a normal gait again. He may be able, in a year or two, to be able to play golf recreationally; I doubt that he will ever again be competitive professionally. But then, Tiger is a winner, and I never bet against a winner. An injury this severe practically guarantees he will have chronic post-traumatic arthritis in his right lower extremity within 5 years. His already-bad-back will be exacerbated by the gait change that the pain in his leg and foot will cause. Everything is connected. I pray for the best possible outcome for him. I’ve always liked Tiger, and enjoyed his wins.
LikeLiked by 3 people
DR Terry Trammell, Methodist Hospital in Indy is the premier man for this job. He’s seen more of this type of injury than any other orthopedic surgeon alive. For competitive drivers the list of legs this man has saved reads like a Hall of Fame.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Must have been horrifying and painful. What a split second in our lives can wreak! So sorry for Tiger; maybe it will lead to something different and positive as some things do. God’s hand.
The vehicle’s ‘black box’ will contribute a lot to the investigation. Those smart cars have plenty going on, and a multitude of features/functions must be figured out before you drive anywhere – not while you’re driving (first-hand knowledge).
LikeLiked by 1 person
The determination of the person with a catastrophic injury to return to as normal a condition as possible is vital. Tiger has proven he has that type of dedication and mind strength.
Since there have been previous accidents in that specific area of Rancho Palos Verdes, it’s way past time for the city or country to institute more safety measures. I can’t remember what the speed limit is, but do recall it seemed very lenient for such a stretch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
45, I think I heard one of the police say.
LikeLike
Now that you mention it, yes, that’s the number. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person