L.A. sheriff’s office gets warrant for ‘black box’ in Tiger Woods’ crashed SUV

Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have executed a search warrant to get the data from the “black box” in the luxury SUV involved in the rollover crash that left Tiger Woods seriously injured last week.

“Traffic collision investigators are continuing the investigation into the cause of the collision involving Mr. Woods,” Deputy Trina Schrader told NBC News in a statement. “On March 1, 2021, they executed a search warrant to retrieve data from the vehicles ‘black box.’ At this time, there is no additional information regarding the recovered data.”

Schrader added that obtaining a warrant for a crash vehicle’s “black box” data was “standard procedure.”

The department will not be seeking a warrant for Woods’ blood to determine if he was under the influence during the single-car crash on Feb. 23 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, USA Today Sports reported.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a news conference on the day of the crash that accidents are not uncommon in the area where Woods’ Genesis GV80 rolled over, because of the downhill slopes and curves on the road. Woods was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle.

“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive, because this is an accident-prone stretch of road,” added Sheriff’s Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, one of the first responders to the scene. “We’ve seen a number of accidents on this stretch of roadway.”

Firefighters used an ax and a crowbar to pry him from the vehicle, where he was being held down because the steering wheel had been pushed into his lap.

The golfer had emergency surgery at Harbor-UCLA shortly after the crash. Doctors inserted a rod into his right leg, and pins and screws were used to stabilize his ankle and foot injuries.

Woods has since been transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for recovery.

Woods, 45, who is based in Jupiter, Florida, was in Southern California over the weekend for the Genesis Invitational, which benefits his foundation. He is recovering from back surgery, his fifth such operation, and has not played in a tournament this year.

Statements from Woods’ team thanked fans for their support, and on Sunday Woods tweeted that golfers who had sported a red shirt and black pants in support of him were “truly helping me get through this tough time.”

His team did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the latest in the crash investigation.

In 2017, Woods was arrested after he was found asleep behind the wheel of his car. He had various painkillers and sleep medication in his system; he said he was seeking relief from back pain.

Woods’ also famously crashed his Cadillac Escalade SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree just after Thanksgiving 2009 outside his home in Florida. The incident inadvertently revealed a bitter marital dispute with his wife at the time, Elin Nordegren, as a host of women came forward to admit to having had extramarital affairs with Woods.

An HBO documentary last month chronicled his meteoric rise and public shaming in 2009 and 2010.

Woods is considered one of the greatest golfers in history. He has won 82 tournaments, tied for the most in a career with Sam Snead, and he has won 15 major championships, second only to Jack Nicklaus.