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

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said accidents are not uncommon in the area where Woods' Genesis GV80 rolled over.
Image: The vehicle of golfer Tiger Woods is recovered in Los Angeles
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies inspect the vehicle of golfer Tiger Woods, who was rushed to a hospital after he suffered multiple injuries when it was involved in a single-vehicle accident in Los Angeles on Feb. 23.Gene Blevins / Reuters

Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators have executed a search warrant to get the data from the "black box" in the luxury SUV involved in the rollover crash that seriously injured Tiger Woods last week.

"Traffic collision investigators are continuing the investigation into the cause of the collision involving Mr. Woods," Deputy Trina Schrader said 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 said obtaining a warrant for a crashed vehicle's black box data was "standard procedure."

The sheriff's department will not seek a warrant for Woods' blood to determine whether he was under the influence during the single-car crash Feb. 23 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, USA Today Sports reported.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a news conference 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.

Sheriff's Deputy Carlos Gonzalez, one of the first responders to the scene, said: "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. 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.

Woods had emergency surgery 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 been transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for recovery.

Woods, 45, who is based in Jupiter, Florida, was in Southern California 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 Woods tweeted Sunday 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 about 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 this year 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.

CORRECTION (March 3, 8 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated when Tiger Woods traveled to Southern California for the Genesis Invitational golf tournament. The tournament was the weekend of Feb. 20, not last weekend. The article also misstated when Netflix's documentary about Woods began airing. It premiered in January, not February.