Tiger Woods and his alleged mistress remained out of sight for a second day as questions — including Woods’ possible drug use — swirled around his late night car crash.
A Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officer said charges are still pending, but Woods has thwarted investigators by refusing to meet with them, which he has the right to do.
Exactly what police are pursuing beside a reckless or negligent driving charge remain unknown. Some reports say they are seeking a warrant for his hospital records. There have been some rumors that Woods was under the influence of prescription pain medication, and that drugs may have contributed to his crash.
He was unconscious for up to six minutes and paramedics discovered him lying on the ground after the accident. He reportedly had scratches on his face and cut lower lip.
New reports have surfaced that police inquired about medications Woods was taking, and that his wife Nordegren produced to two prescription pill containers for police.
Woods was obviously beating a hasty retreat when the accident happened. An eyewitness said that Tiger was wearing shorts, a t-shirt and had no shoes on when he wrecked the car.
Judging by the damage to the left side of his Cadillac Escalade SUV, he never made the turn out of his driveway onto the street. He drove over the lawn of his house before striking the fire hydrant and plowing into a tree on his neighbor’s property. According to some reports he was fleeing his wife after arguing about reports of the alleged affair.
While the accident leaves a lot of unanswered questions, Woods apparently won’t be providing them. He is under no obligation to speak to police and has chosen to remain silent. From a public relations standpoint, the stonewalling is hurting his image as a role model. But in the long run, silence may be golden.
Wood’s alleged mistress, Rachel Uchitel, is also laying low. She flew to Los Angeles early Monday where she was greeted at the airport by celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred. She has denied the affair although at least one friend said she bragged about sleeping with Woods.
Given Allred’s history of aggressive legal representation in cases involving women wronged by men, the attorney is likely to come out swinging in the next few days, and Uchitel will soon hit the talk show circuit.
TheImproper reported Nov. 28 that Uchitel is well known on the Hamptons party circuit, and had a reputation for pursuing celebrities. New details emerged today that confirmed the report.
Her mother, Susan Bishop is a fixture in Palm Beach, Fla, and Rachel visits her often at the posh Everglades Club and Bath & Tennis Club, where Bishop owns a condo next door to former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to the New York Daily News.
Uchitel’s parents divorced in 1979, according to records. Her father, Bob Uchitel, was an Alaska businessman who reportedly brought cable TV to the 49th state. He died in 1991.
Uchitel has said she is the granddaughter of 1960s Manhattan nightclub impresario Maurice Uchitel. He ran the legendary El Morocco club and posh Voisin restaurant, and was a fixture in the upper-crust social scene.
Acquaintances described her to the News as a “drama queen” who has had repeated run-ins with employers. “She’s very aggressive when it comes to meeting celebrities,” a Manhattan club source said. “That’s her job: bring them into the club by any means necessary.”
As for Woods, he has ruled out any further golf tournaments for the rest of the year, including the tournament he’s hosted in Thousand Oaks, Calif., a charitable event, for the past nine years. He cited injuries sustained in his widely publicized car accident as the reason for his absence.
“I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week,” Woods, 33, said in a statement on his official website (web.tigerwoods.com).
“I am certain it will be an outstanding event and I’m very sorry that I can’t be there.”
He was treated and released from hospital in good condition after and said later he had some cuts and bruising and felt “pretty sore.”
On Sunday, he took responsibility for the accident and praised his wife Elin for acting courageously to help him.
