Tiger Woods is probably the most famous athlete in the world. Tiger had kept an amazingly “squeaky clean” image for over a decade in the shark-tank environment of the paparazzi that has surrounded him since he won The Master’s golf tournament in 1997. That image certainly changed in late November of 2009.
There is a lot of speculation as to what really transpired at the Woods’ home on November 27, 2009, but some facts are indisputable. In the early morning hours of that day, Tiger was behind the wheel of a vehicle that ran over a fire hydrant and hit a tree as he was driving away from his residence. This accident occurred about three days after a story was published in the National Enquirer that alleged Tiger had been unfaithful to his wife, Elin Nordegren. Neighbors who heard the accident came out to find Tiger lying unconscious on the ground with his wife by his side. Two of the back windows of Tiger’s vehicle had been smashed out and Tiger’s wife allegedly smashed them in order to rescue Tiger from the vehicle. Tiger had minor injuries consisting of, at the very least, cuts to his mouth. Tiger was transported to the hospital; and subsequently released. Florida Highway Patrol announced that Tiger had not given a statement and that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
The media storm and speculation hit full-force at this point. With the recent report of infidelity, it just seemed to be too much of a coincidence that Tiger was involved in this mysterious accident leaving his home, and his wife, who was armed with a golf club and reportedly smashed out his windows to “save” her husband. Speculation basically was that Tiger’s wife had already assaulted him with the golf club, which caused injuries, and he staged the crash to explain the injuries, or that Tiger’s wife chased him form the house with the golf club and smashed out his windows before he could speed off in a frenzy and lost control of his vehicle striking the fire hydrant and the tree. Either way, the speculation was that Domestic Violence was involved and Tiger was the victim.
This is where we get to the moral of the story. The police came out to speak with Tiger later in the evening on the same date of the accident. The police were turned away, told Tiger was asleep and that they could come back the next day. The next day, while on the way to Tiger’s house again to obtain a statement and Tiger’s lawyer got a message through to law enforcement that Tiger was not available to talk. The next day, Tiger’s lawyer told police that neither Tiger nor his wife would be speaking with the police at all. Ultimately, Tiger made a public apology for his “transgressions,” essentially admitting his infidelity and giving credence to the domestic violence theories behind his car accident. However, Tiger’s wife Elin will likely never be charged with a crime. Tiger likely wanted to protect this wife because of his guilt over his infidelity and desire to keep his family together. He knew the best ways to do that was to “shut up” and not talk to the cops. Smart move, Tiger.
If you or a loved one is facing domestic violence charges, don’t hesitate to contact the Law Offices of Wallin & Klarich for a consultation. Wallin & Klarich has been in the business of helping people with their criminal matters in Southern California for over 40 years and we would like to help you with yours! Contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich today at 1-888-749-0034.
