The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant to obtain data from the so-called “black box” SUV that Tiger Woods was driving when it crashed last week, according to several reports.
To obtain a warrant, it is necessary to determine the probable cause of the crime, even if it is only a misdemeanor. A sheriff’s deputy downplayed the routine for USA Today Sports on Tuesday, saying he considered it a due diligence.
“We are trying to determine whether a crime has been committed,” said sheriff’s assistant John Schloegl. “If someone is involved in a traffic collision, we have to reconstruct the traffic collision, if there was any reckless driving, if someone was on the cell phone or something. We determine if there was a crime. crime, we closed the case, and it was a normal traffic collision. “
Black box data can show a vehicle’s speed, steering angle, acceleration and braking activity.
“When it comes to getting a warrant or downloading the car, we just do it automatically,” Schloegl told USA Today Sports. “We want answers, so this is the path we have taken.”
Schloegl also said there was “no probable cause” for a warrant for obtaining Woods’ blood, which would help determine whether he was under the influence of drugs.
He said Woods’ camp has been cooperating.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said last week that the accident was “purely an accident” and that his department would not open charges against Woods for the February 23 accident near the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Greens. about 30 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.
Villanueva said the department is considering an accident, which could lead to a misdemeanor at most.
“The sheriff talked about the information known at the time and said it appeared to be a traffic accident,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement to USA Today Sports on Tuesday. “However, the traffic collision investigation is (ongoing) and the traffic investigators have not come to any conclusions as to the cause of the collision.”
Woods, 45, is recovering at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was transferred from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center “to continue orthopedic treatment and recovery,” according to Dr. Anish Mahajan.