Tiger Woods "was very lucky to get out alive" from the accident he suffered Tuesday morning, said the first police officer to arrive at the scene.
The golf star was hospitalized after an impressive drive off the road while driving his car near Los Angeles, county sheriff's services said.
"The nature of the vehicle" he was driving - a luxury SUV - and "the fact that he had buckled his seat belt contributed a lot to saving his life," said the policeman at a press conference. , Carlos Gonzalez.
He noted that the portion of the road where the golfer likely lost control of his car was accident prone, twisty and at the foot of a descent.
No other vehicle appears to be involved in the crash, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Services.
According to a police source quoted by the Los Angeles Times, the golfer was traveling at high speed and lost control of his SUV before passing over the central barrier. "The vehicle suffered serious damage" after turning over, according to a statement.
The 45-year-old golfer had to be extricated from his car by firefighters using special equipment before being "taken to a hospital for his injuries."
According to the Los Angeles Times, the athlete suffered from a broken ankle and broken legs, including a multiple.
In a statement, Tiger Woods' agent said the athlete was "currently in the operating room".
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