Police found pill bottle at scene of Tiger Woods wreck but discarded the evidence

The official police report into Tiger Woods’ car crash states police found an empty, unlabelled pill bottle, but the evidence was discarded.

Tiger Woods is still recovering from his accident.

An empty, unlabelled pill bottle was found near Tiger Woods’ wrecked SUV — and the pro-golfer was “somewhat combative” when first responders tried to treat him at the scene of his high-speed crash, according to a newly-released police report.

Tiger Woods was driving at an “unsafe” speed nearly double the 70km/h speed limit when he crashed in California in February, the completed Los Angeles County’s sheriff report announced on Thursday (AEST).

Woods’s SUV was travelling at up to 140km/h before it flew off the road and flipped several times during the accident in Ranchos Palos Verdes, leaving the 15-time major champion with a shattered right leg.

The full 22-page report was first revealed by TMZ, revealing Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies found an “empty plastic pharmaceutical container” in the front pocket of a backpack resting in the brush close to Woods’ car.

“The container had no label and there was no indication as to what, if anything, had been inside. There was no open intoxicants, or paraphernalia inside the vehicle.” the report, written by Deputy Justin Smith states.

The Los Angeles Times also reported Captain James Powers has responded to the reports findings by stating the container “held no evidentiary value” because it was not found on woods’ person or in his car.

Tiger Woods is recovering from a shattered leg.

Surveillance video from the five-star Terranea Resort taken the morning of the crash showed Woods wearing a backpack and pulling a suitcase near the front desk, the report said.

No alcohol, drugs or paraphernalia were found inside the loaned 2021 Genesis GV80 Woods was driving when he crashed Feb. 23 in Rolling Hills Estates outside of Los Angeles.

There was no smell of booze and Woods’ eyes were not bloodshot or watery, according to police.

When Emergency Medical Technicians tried to free him from the wreckage Woods, 45, was “somewhat combative” — and so disoriented he thought he was in Florida, where he lives, rather than in Southern California, the report said.

The SUV came off worse for wear.

Authorities described how Woods was sitting in the front seat wearing his seatbelt and had blood on his face and chin at the scene. He was “responsive” and able to communicate — though in shock, the report said.

A witness who first came upon the wreck said he saw a set of golf clubs sticking out of the back window, and tried to pull them out so he could look inside.

The vehicle’s bumper and grille were missing and the front window was completely shattered.

Los Angeles Fire Captain Matt Levesque described to investigators how Woods’ blood pressure was so low due to shock from the crash, that they couldn’t give him any pain medications until he was in the ambulance.

“Captain Levesque told me that [Woods] was somewhat combative when they were trying to treat him on scene,” the detective wrote in the report.

“Levesque stated everything that he observed related to [Woods’] vital signs and combativeness was consistent with the type of traumatic injury,” the athlete suffered, the report added.

Police didn’t perform any field sobriety tests or try to collect blood samples from Woods, because they didn’t believe there was any reason to think he was inebriated.

Authorities said Wednesday that Woods was going as fast as 87 mph, close to double the limit, in the crash, which nearly killed him.

Tiger Woods is unlikely to ever play professional golf again.

The PGA legend was barrelling down Hawthorne Boulevard in Rancho Palos Verdes when he smashed into a raised median. He hit a kerb and then a tree, sending SUV airborne before landing.

The report found that had Woods “applied his brakes to reduce speed or steered to correct the direction of travel” he would not have smashed into the median or crashed.

Authorities said the accident didn’t warrant charges or citations for speeding or reckless driving because there weren’t any witnesses and no one else was hurt.

“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva.

“Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour (135-140km/h).”

There were “no signs of impairment” or evidence of any “distracted driving”, and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said.

Woods, 45, may have inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brakes upon losing control, Powers said, although Woods himself does not recall the incident.

Why Tiger wasn’t charged

Both officials said the golfer had not been given any special treatment, and that he was not cited for speeding because there were no witnesses or police present at the time. Woods will not face criminal charges.

The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Powers.

Woods was lucky to survive.

The golfer had to be extricated after his car rolled onto its side.

Investigators did not check Woods’ phone or test his bloodwork because there was “no evidence of any impairment or intoxication”, Powers told a press conference.

The serious leg injuries sustained by Woods have raised fears for the future of his astonishing career.

Golf career in limbo

The star, whose 82 US PGA titles are level with Sam Snead for the all-time win record, won the 2019 Masters for his first major title in 11 years to complete an astonishing comeback after multiple back surgeries.

Following the crash on February 23, he underwent hours of surgery to repair his shattered lower right leg and ankle, which included the insertion of a rod into his shinbone and screws and pins to stabilise the joint.

He is recovering at his home in Florida and will not compete in this year’s Masters, which begins this week.

pic.twitter.com/uN8lsmDO1D

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 7, 2021

Woods was in the Los Angeles area for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club, and was driving a courtesy car on the morning of the crash.

Powers dismissed claims Woods had been observed driving erratically earlier that morning, telling reporters that video surveillance footage showed the golfer travelling at normal, safe speeds at the beginning of his journey.

Villanueva described the stretch of road as “hazardous, with multiple people approaching it with way too much speed for the conditions” due to the road’s design.

The district supervisor was planning to introduce traffic control measures to reduce speeds, he said.

Woods has previously been involved in infamous driving incidents. In November 2009, he smashed his car into a tree and a fire hydrant outside his luxury Florida home, sparking a series of scandalous revelations that doomed his marriage and put his game in freefall.

In May 2017, he was arrested near his home for being asleep at the wheel of his car in a traffic lane. Woods said he had taken prescription drugs and pleaded guilty to reckless driving.

Originally published as Police found pill bottle at scene of Tiger Woods wreck but discarded the evidence