Los Angeles – US golf legend Tiger Woods was involved in a serious car accident on Tuesday (Feb 23) near Los Angeles.
Mr Woods, 45, was driving along Rancho Palos Verdes near Los Angeles on Tuesday morning at around 7 am PT when his SUV crossed a median and went across two lanes before hitting a curb. The vehicle then hit a tree and landed on its side off the roadway, reported cnn.com.
A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was first on the scene and found Mr Woods still in the driver’s seat, lucid and calm. Mr Woods was able to inform the deputy that his name was Tiger.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby informed CNN that Mr Woods was alert and was trying to “self-extricate” himself from the vehicle.
He was eventually extricated by firefighters who used an axe to break the windshield and a pry bar to free Mr Woods from the seat and metal from his legs.
In an update on his official Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon (Feb 24), it was announced that Mr Woods is “awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room.”
The tweet reads, “As previously communicated, Tiger was involved in a single-car accident earlier this morning in California. He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital.
Mr Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopaedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center.
Communicated open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins.
Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg require surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling,” noted Chief Medical Officer and Interim CEO at the medical center, Anish Mahajan.
“He (Mr Woods) is currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room,” the tweet added.
Mr Woods hosted a PGA Tour event in the area that weekend yet did not play due to recent back surgery./TISG
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