Woods, 45, was conscious and alert when emergency teams pulled him out of his vehicle, according to Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Traffic investigators can take days or weeks to determine the cause of the accident while investigating whether speed, fatigue or operator error were factors, or whether Woods hit something on the road, causing him to lose control, Lieutenant Michael White with the sheriff County Office told CNN affiliate KCAL / KCBS.
Woods was driving shortly after 7:00 am PT in Rancho Palos Verdes when the SUV he was using crossed a central flower bed and crossed two lanes before hitting a curb, hitting a tree and landing sideways off the road at Bush. No other vehicles were involved.
Woods had to be pulled out of his vehicle by a rescue team using a lever and an ax, according to LA County fire chief Daryl Osby.
Woods was driving downhill on a winding road in an area known as a troubled spot for speeding and accidents, Villanueva and Sheriff Carlos Gonzalez’s deputy said.
The weather was not a factor in the accident, officials said at a news conference on Tuesday. There was no evidence of damage, but the accident is being investigated, officials said.
Asked at the news conference whether Woods may have been on the phone at the moment, Villanueva said investigators would have to check whether the distracted driving had any influence.
What is the state of your injuries?
Woods was taken by ambulance to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in serious condition, with non-fatal injuries, according to the LA County Fire Department.
Woods suffered open leg fractures, a source told CNN. Osby said Woods’ legs were immobilized at the scene.
An open fracture “is an open fracture, and the bone actually protrudes from the skin, something that would have been noticeable at the time of the injury and … something that obviously needs to be treated very quickly,” CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
“He was able to communicate and was conscious,” said Villanueva.
Gonzalez, the first to respond at the scene, said he kept Woods talking until the firefighters arrived.
Woods underwent surgery after the accident, according to Golf Digest, which cited a statement by Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg.
What kind of car did Woods drive?
Woods drove a 2021 Genesis SUV. The front of the vehicle was destroyed and the airbags were deployed, Villanueva said. Woods was wearing a seat belt, Gonzalez said.
“Fortunately, the interior was more or less intact, which gave him a kind of pillow to survive what would have otherwise been a fatal accident,” said Villanueva.
The Genesis was supplied to Woods as a courtesy car by the sponsor of the golf tournament he organized over the weekend.
Woods did not play because of a recent back surgery.
Mark Del Rosso, president and CEO of Genesis Motor North America, said on Tuesday that he was “heartbroken” to learn of the accident.