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Tiger 911 call: Worst emergency call in history?

Nov 30, 2009, 10:30 AM EDT

33 Comments

It wasn’t long ago that the biggest controversy in Tiger Woods’ life was whether or not he farted. Remember that? Ah, those were the days. Now he’s refusing police interviews, TMZ is going through his garbage and there’s a dented tree and mangled fire hydrant out front of the house. Wasn’t that a scene in It’s a Wonderful Life? Clarence, I think Tiger needs your help right now.
(Tiger reaches into pocket) “Zuzu’s petals!”
Will get into the details a little later, but right now let’s focus on the only indisputable fact: The 911 call placed at the time of the accident has to be the most confusing in the history of emergency calls.
Video of the emergency call, and audio of Tiger Woods’ statement, following the jump.


Excerpt from 911 call:

DISPATCHER: Is it a car accident, sir?

(*PHONE BREAKS UP*)

DISPATCHER: Ok, sir? Sir, is it a car accident? Hello? Sir? Hello?

NEIGHBOR: Hello, yes.

DISPATCHER: Is it a car accident, sir?

NEIGHBOR: Yes, it’s a car accident. Yes. I need you to…yes

DISPATCHER: OK, now are they trapped inside of the vehicle?

NEIGHBOR: No, they’re laying on the ground now.

DISPATCHER: OK, stay on the line for medical. Don’t hang up, OK? And it’s in front of your house, correct?

NEIGHBOR (to someone else): And get some water.

DISPATCHER: OK, sir, medical’s on the line, sir OK?

NEIGHBOR: Yes, Windermere, Florida, In the Isleworth subdivision.

RESCUE: What happened? What’s wrong?

NEIGHBOR: I have a…well, a neighbor, he hit the tree. And we came out here just to see what was going on. I see him, he’s laying down.

RESCUE: You mean it was an auto accident?

NEIGHBOR: Yes, there was an auto accident. Yes.

RESCUE: OK, is he outside or inside his car?

(*STATIC*)

RESCUE: Your phone broke up. I heard “inside”. You there?

NEIGHBOR: Hello?

DISPATCHER: Hello, sir? You there?

NEIGHBOR: Yes.

RESCUE: Your phone broke up there.

NEIGHBOR: Ok. I gotcha.

The groggy accident victim in those OnStar commercials made more sense. Thanks for calling, guy.

Woods released a statement on Sunday, saying that and that the accident was his fault and that it was “a private matter.”

Big, overriding question here: If this is just an innocent fender-bender, as Tiger seems to be claiming, then why stonewall the cops? By hunkering down and avoiding questions, he’s just fanning the flames of speculation. Bad move, Tiger. Did your caddy call for that?
***
Tiger calls his accident ‘a private matter’ [NBCSports]
Woods takes blame for crash; 911 call released [WESH.com]
Audio: Tiger Woods 911 Call From Accident Scene [SportsbyBrooks]

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  1. Dan - Nov 30, 2009 at 12:25 PM

    Stan’s the man.

  2. Rick Chandler - Nov 30, 2009 at 12:45 PM

    Ha. +1.

  3. Quatermass - Nov 30, 2009 at 1:18 PM

    I foresee a chat with Oprah in Eldrick’s future.

  4. Larry - Nov 30, 2009 at 3:48 PM

    Strangest thing to me is Tiger’s wife’s statement that she heard a crash outside and grabbed a golf club to see if she could help him out of the car by breaking the window. How would she know any windows might need breaking if she was inside and heard a crash. The first thing I would grab is a cell phone if I heard a crash, not a 4-iron.
    Also how did he get both lips lacerated in the accident and blood was in his mouth when no blood was found anywhere on the steering wheel or any where else. Sure would seem if he was thrown forward by the crash his nose or forehead would have been injured before the inside of his mouth. All very strange.
    I wonder if the grooves on that 4-iron fit his facial lacerations perfectly and the holes in the windows of his SUV? Sure would have thought his wife, not a probable sleeping neighbor, would have made a 9-1-1 call. He said she was the first to help.

  5. Tidy - Nov 30, 2009 at 3:59 PM

    Let us put the average Joe along side Tiger and see how the normal response measures up.

  6. PrivatePerson - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:06 PM

    Sick of listening to the rhetoric, the media is going way overboard on Tiger’s accident. Tiger has always been a very private person, he has always tried to maintain the demeanor of a gentleman, and spends considerable time trying to help others. Just leave him alone, and go after someone that deserves scrutiny.
    I hope that the respectable media does not pay “The Salahis” for their story. Show them up for what they are, but we prefer to not hear anything from them. If the media wants to pull someone down, they are shining examples of what is wrong with this country.
    Dr. Nancy Snyderman’s comments this morning were excellent, a very sincere Thank You to the doctor.

  7. Jager - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:08 PM

    Clearly the biggest PR gaff since the Valdez sinking. Does any sane individual believe that Elin was breaking out back windows to get him out of the car? Or, that his facial injuries occured in an accident where no evidence of facial impact exists in the car. This is a complete mess for Tiger and a huge windfall for his new “friend”. The book will make millions. The losers…two children and a caring wife…as usual

  8. Fishonwood - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:17 PM

    I put it to my nosy, It no smella so rosy!

  9. Fishonwood - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:18 PM

    I put it to my nosy, It no smella so rosy!

  10. Bill Davis - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:31 PM

    Hey Rick, post your home address and telephone number, will ya? I need to speak to your wife because I have to find out your motivation for writing this column. Do you abuse her? Cheat on her? Sorry man, but you’re a public figure cuz ya write a low rent column on some low rent website.
    Oh, and I’ll just assume if you DON’T post that info, you’re stonewalling me. What have you got to hide, dude? I guess will just have to infer that Rick Chandler is a wife-beating adulterer. Otherwise, why wouldn’t you post the info?
    Gawd, you’re a moron.

  11. Kathleen H - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:43 PM

    I find it incredibly sad that the media feels it has a right to know every little detail about this incident. Tiger has always been a gentleman and given access to his private life when his children were born. I don’t think he asks for much so why don’t you all give it up and give him the privacy he is asking for? No matter what the circumstances, we all seem to like it when someone falls from grace… what does that say about our society? That we have to build ourselves up by crawling over someone elses back? It’s none of your business…. and he deserves privacy in this matter… how would you fare if your dirty laundry was front page news… the price of a ticket to a golf tournament does not entitle you to the details… no matter how curious you are. Shame of the Highway Patrol for making this incident public in the first place…

  12. Sambook - Nov 30, 2009 at 4:58 PM

    Jager: Would any sane person be this wrapped up in Tiger’s accident? Would any sane person believe what the National Enquirer reported without some very good outside confirmation?
    Larry: You’re speculating about an accident that you were nowhere near and happened during the middle of the night. You have no way of inferring ANYTHING from news reports and drawing any conclusions and trying to put 2+2 together in any way, shape, or form. “Sure would’ve thought . . .” Well, don’t! Accidents don’t follow “common sense” or “percentages” or anything like that.

  13. peter gascoigne - Nov 30, 2009 at 6:21 PM

    you must be kidding if that was any citizen who three times refused to talk to the police we would be sitting in jail right now

  14. Rich - Nov 30, 2009 at 6:21 PM

    Look!! Tiger’s human!!
    Leave the guy alone, already!! If this was you or myself would we want to be harrased by the press like Tiger has been? Heck no!! Tiger doesn’t have to talk tp you, the Police or anyone else.
    So get a life and get out of Tiger’s.

  15. bob fernandez - Nov 30, 2009 at 6:30 PM

    Tiger is being scrutinized because he is a public figure. He earns big big big bucks because he is a public figure. Without public adulation Tiger cannot command such an income. he is very very rich right now because of the adulation given to him by the public. What do we want in return. 24/7 access. dont want that tiger ?, then cancel your Nike contract, stop playing golf. Then the public will leave you alone. In the meantime while you are enjoying the luxurious lifestyle because we watch you play golf and because we buy your Nike products, then be prepared to be scrutinized.
    Its not personal, Angelina Jolie you earn 20 million per picture?, hey get ready for the paparazzi, girl.. dont want that, stop making movies. Those are the rules.

  16. Dee Dee - Nov 30, 2009 at 8:46 PM

    Whatever, human, private, gentleman guy, dirty laundry, leave him alone wa wa waaaaaa!!! Lame! If you or I or anyone else on this side of the “celebrity, deep pockets, rich & famous” fence were to wreck our car, wipe out a fire hydrant and then refuse, not once but three times, to speak to the police about the matter, we’d be in Big trouble! Probably in jail. when you accept the life of a celebrity, a lot goes with it and one thing that does not go with it is absolute privacy. Don’t like having your dirty laundry aired, then should’ve stayed just a regular old poor Joe. Nobody cares about him.

  17. John K - Nov 30, 2009 at 9:37 PM

    Get a grip folks. Having an accident is NOT a crime and the police can’t force you to talk to them just because they are curious. If he had hurt someone else, then there would be reason to question him. Leave the man alone. Making money doesn’t mean that you are somehow subject to the inquisition of the mob.

  18. Julie - Dec 1, 2009 at 12:05 AM

    I am saddened that Tiger seems not to be the trustworthy husband and great family man I believed him to be. Naive – maybe, but it was nice to believe it.

  19. Aaron - Dec 1, 2009 at 1:02 AM

    Bob Fernandez….Actually, no, you don’t get 24/7 access to woods, and guess what, he doesn’t have to cancel any endorsement deals…he’ll continue to make boatloads of money (more money next year than this year even) and you will never get a f-ing word out of Tiger…how does that grab your ass? Your stupid little speech, your words, its all bullshit. You have no rights to Tiger, he has no obligation to you or anyone, not even the Police (this was on private property, and I reiterate, had no one called the police, and the police TRIED to come into Isleworth, they would have had to pull out their guns and shoot the guard, because its against the law to intrude on private property without cause or a warrant (in which case they have evidence, which is better than cause). So for those of you who say other people would be in jail for not talking to …lol..highway patrol? Highway patrol has less jurisdiction in this case than the police…shouldn’t they be patrolling the highway, not some exclusive private community? That’s exactly the reason Tiger doesn’t have to say shit to them and exactly the reasons they couldn’t get Tiger Woods’s medical report from the hospital, because they have no jurisdiction and would have needed a warrant (and they have no evidence to obtain one). Sorry, the law is on Tiger’s side, and in the end, he will win (as he always does – both on and off the course [and if you dont think he has won off the course, then ask yourself why 0% of his income comes from something other than the PGA Tour]).

  20. Aaron - Dec 1, 2009 at 1:06 AM

    Typo – 90% of his income comes from something other than the PGA Tour.

  21. C.Myles - Dec 1, 2009 at 9:27 AM

    Eldrick = Hypocrisy. This is the worst PR job ever.To embarrass the police 3 or 4 times because you believe that you are more important than the rest of the world…..pure self indulgency. He deserves a divorce which costs $500M.

  22. jdog - Dec 1, 2009 at 10:43 AM

    I dont care to know the intimate details of his life. he’s a star, that’s a risk he takes, but personally I couldn’t care.
    What I DO care about is “I’m Tiger Woods, I dont have to meet the same standards as the rest of society [speaking to police after auto accident]“. An accident with injuries on any road connected to a DOT road (which means almost every road in North America) is the jurisdiction of the local police – and they are within their rights asking him questions.
    Look at Paris Hilton, Charlie Sheen, Christian Slater, etc – they got in trouble with the law and actually had something happen to them. As it should be – star power and money don’t mean you’re immune, and we should not condone that it does.

  23. Fred - Dec 1, 2009 at 12:23 PM

    Like you personally know anything about him. Get real.

  24. LadyTiger - Dec 1, 2009 at 12:36 PM

    You’re full of crap. He has complied with the law. That’s already been established. It was a car accident…one where no one got hurt but him. He’s only required to give his drivers license, registration and proof of insurance. He’s not required to talk to the police. That’s already been established as well.
    So now that he has complied with the law…that makes him above the law? What reality do you live in? You’re just hating on him because he’s rich and famous and incredibly gifted and for whatever warped reason you think this entitles you and all the other busy bodies to know all of his business.
    News flash…you’re not. LOL! To bad…so sad…hahahaha!

  25. nancy - Dec 1, 2009 at 12:55 PM

    Leave Tiger alone..I don’t care what he has done if anything.
    I love to watch him, he is terrific!!!!!!!

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