The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday that Tiger Woods was driving at more than 80 mph when his SUV entered a dangerous curve just outside the city and crashed.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Woods’ SUV crossed a raised median and struck a tree at 75 mph. Woods and his representatives had granted permission to the department to release the causes of the crash.
The speed limit in the area is 45 mph. The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there is an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed.
Watch a replay of the news conference below, courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department:
Villanueva blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods’ loss of control behind the wheel. Sheriff’s Capt. James Powers said there was no evidence the golfer braked throughout the wreck and that it’s believed Woods inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.
Woods, who is from the Los Angeles area, had been back home to host his PGA tournament, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, when the crash happened Feb. 23.
Detectives did not seek search warrants for the athlete’s blood samples, which could have been screened for drugs or alcohol. Investigators, however, did search the SUV’s data recorder, known as a black box, in the days after the crash.
Woods is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries.
After the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s news conference, Woods issued a statement on social media, in which he said he is focusing on his “recovery and family.”
Villanueva faced criticism for weeks for his comments about the crash, including calling it “purely an accident” and saying there was no evidence of impairment. Documents show that Woods told deputies he did not know how the crash occurred and didn’t remember driving.
In 2017, Woods checked himself into a clinic for help in dealing with prescription drug medication after a DUI charge in his home state of Florida.
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