Stonewalling Police for Third Time, Tiger Woods Claims to Be at Fault

Sun, 29 November 2009 21:38:09 ET

'My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble,' the golfer says in a statement released an hour before he was scheduled to talk to the cops about his car crash.

Two days after his solo car crash on Friday morning, November 27, Tiger Woods still refuses to talk to the authority regarding his accident, but breaks his silence with a statement claiming he was at fault. On Sunday, November 29, he took it to his official site to say, "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," the professional golfer elaborated further. He continued to add, "This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible."

Taking more of the blame to himself, Woods went on to praise his wife Elin Nordegren for being the first person to help him. "The only person responsible for the accident is me," he stated. "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," the 33-year-old added, before ending his statement with request for privacy. "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."

While Woods released the statement, he was reported to have dodged the police for the third consecutive day. His attorney, Mark Nejame, informed the police of this cancellation, Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol said. "It has not been rescheduled," Montes stated. "He's not required by law to give us a statement, and we'll move forward with our investigation without it."

The golfer was actually scheduled to meet with state troopers at his home inside the gates of Isleworth on Sunday, an hour after posting his statement. This wasn't his first refusal to talk with the patrol. On Friday, police had tried to talk to him, but his wife asked them to return the next day because Woods was sleeping. On Saturday, November 28, his agent contacted the troopers, saying that the athlete and his wife would be unavailable to talk until Sunday.

Tiger Woods was involved in a solo car crash outside his Florida mansion at 2:25 A.M. on Friday morning. There were conflicting reports following his accident. While police said that Woods' wife used golf club to smash his back window and save him, other reports suggested that she was chasing him with the club after a domestic dispute over his affair rumor.

The car crash took place two days after the National Enquirer accused the golf champion of having an affair with a New York night club hostess named Rachel Uchitel. It was said that the two were together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters. According to The Associated Press, Uchitel has denied having the affair.

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