Breaking update: Tiger Woods releases statement about crash and rumors
3:05 pm, November 29th, 2009
Update
(GettyImages.com)
The latest…
Tiger Woods released a statement today about the “embarrassing” crash for which he said he was “responsible,” and called rumors about his marriage “unfounded and malicious.”
Here are excerpts from his statement:
“As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week…This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
He also addressed the rumors. Woods stated, “Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. The only person responsible for the accident is me.”
And he praised his wife. According to Woods, “My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false…this incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.”
Florida highway patrol troopers were slated to speak with Woods today sometime after 3 p.m. EST to discuss the events surrounding his crash. But Woods canceled and seemingly released the above statement instead.
As background, troopers arrived at Wood’s home yesterday to question the golf star about the incident that took place in the early morning hours on Friday, but we’re told the couple was not available to discuss it until today. And that, as noted, had changed too.
Originally, state troopers had wanted to speak with Woods on Friday but his wife said he was sleeping.
Although Woods only had to show his license, registration and proof of insurance, and wasn’t required to give a statement, a spokeswoman for the state troopers called it “very unusual” not to give one.
The spokeswoman added, “All we’re trying to do is get his side of the story.”
Here is a recap of the facts and rumors from the past few days:
Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant and tree early Friday morning.
It was claimed this week that Woods had an affair with a woman named Rachel Uchitel.
The National Enquirer‘s tawdry Tiger claims attracted mammoth attention even before Friday morning’s events, and were picked up immediately by the gossip (and sports) blogs. There were the obligatory offhand disclaimers that the Enquirer can be wrong about these things, but it was a salacious story about the world’s most famous athlete. Of course it got play.
Then Woods got into his accident. The circumstances were murky, his wife Elin Nordegren was on the scene, the sustained injuries minor… but the gossip implications major.
TMZ reported Woods’ injuries resulted not from the collision, but from an attack by Nordegren, who “scratched his face” before striking his Escalade several times – with a golf club – as he drove away. The site cites a conversation Woods had Friday “with a non-law enforcement type.”
The image of the world’s greatest golfer being chased down by an angry wife brandishing a club became irresistible to blogs and rumor mills.
The story then exploded on the extended holiday weekend. As of now it Woods’ words versus conjecture and innuendo.
Gossip Cop would like to know what you think happened.
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