Sheriff on Woods Crash: 'This Remains an Accident'

As golfer Tiger Woods recuperates from a potentially career-ending car accident, there’s at least one thing he won’t have to worry about: Authorities say he is unlikely to face criminal charges related to the Tuesday crash that left him with serious leg injuries, NBC reports. "We don't contemplate any charges whatsoever. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime. They do happen, unfortunately," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters Wednesday. Villanueva said there was no evidence that Woods—who was arrested for DUI in 2017, per TMZ—was driving under the influence, according to Yahoo Sports.

"He was lucid, no odor of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics, or anything like that that would bring that into question," the sheriff said. The accident is still under investigation, and Woods could still be found at fault, according to reports. But even speeding or distracted driving would not add up to criminal reckless driving, per Villanueva. "Reckless driving is actually more than an infraction," he said. "That's a misdemeanor crime that has a lot of elements attached to it. This is nothing like that." The LA district attorney will have the final say on whether Woods is charged in any way, NBC notes. (More Tiger Woods car accident stories.)