Posted Nov 28th 2009 1:11PM by TMZ Staff
Tiger Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, changed the story she told the first officer on the scene, according to law enforcement sources.
The Windemere Police Department says Tiger's wife went outside, saw that her husband had struck a fire hydrant and a tree, and then went back inside the house for a golf club to use to try and extricate him from the vehicle. But we've learned Nordegren told a very different story to the Florida Highway Patrol, and it does not involve going back in the house for a club. Our sources will not allow us to be more specific.
And we've learned there was no blood found on the steering wheel of Tiger's SUV -- putting into serious doubt that Tiger sustained his injuries from the crash.
As we first reported, Tiger had a conversation with a friend yesterday, in which he said his wife had confronted him over reports he was involved with another woman ... and that his wife scratched his face up during the argument. Tiger told the friend he then left the house, started driving off and his wife then came out with a golf club, striking the vehicle. Tiger then became distracted and hit the hydrant and then a nearby tree.
We're told cops will interview Tiger and his wife later today.
UPDATE: A neighbor tells TMZ they saw cops show up at Tiger's house this morning -- only to get turned away again. Tiger's wife, Elin, was spotted (below) driving out of the Isleworth subdivision in Windermere earlier today.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: accident, club, crash, elin Nordegren, ElinNordegren, florida highway patrol, FloridaHighwayPatrol, golf, suv, tiger woods, TigerWoods, tree, windemere police department, WindemerePoliceDepartment, window
Posted Nov 28th 2009 1:08PM by TMZ Staff
Tiger Woods did not suffer facial lacerations from a car accident. They were inflicted by his wife, Elin Nordegren -- according to a conversation Woods had Friday after the accident.
Tiger has yet to be formally interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol -- that should happen this afternoon. But we're told Tiger had a conversation Friday -- with a non-law enforcement type -- detailing what went down before his Escalade hit a fire hydrant.
We're told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We're told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV -- but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club.
We're told Woods became "distracted," thought the vehicle was stopped, and looked to see what had happened. At that point the SUV hit the fire hydrant and then hit a tree.
We're also told Woods had said during the conversation Friday he had been taking prescription pain medication for an injury, which could explain why he seemed somewhat out of it at the scene.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: accident, crash, Elin Nordegren, ElinNordegren, escalade, fire hydrants, FireHydrants, lacerations, scratches, suv, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Nov 28th 2009 12:36PM by TMZ Staff
In the world of celebrity, all worlds lead to Kevin Bacon. In the world of celebrity scandal ... it's Gloria Allred.
TMZ has learned Rachel Uchitel -- aka the person the National Enquirer calls the Other Woman in the Tiger Woods saga -- decided at 3:00 AM today she needed to lawyer up. She left a message for Gloria Allred at her office -- and quickly got a return call.
We've learned Rachel has hired Gloria and is considering, among other things, suing the National Enquirer for defamation. As we first told you, Rachel called the National Enquirer's report that she had an affair with Tiger Woods "bulls**t."
Could a news conference with Gloria and Rachel be far behind. We think not?
BTW -- we've also learned Rachel left a message for a second lawyer -- Mark Geragos. We just found out Geragos did indeed call Rachel back, but she didn't pick up the message until a few minutes ago. Who would Rachel have picked!?!
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Posted Nov 28th 2009 6:05AM by TMZ Staff
The woman accused of having an affair with Tiger Woods says she has never slept with him and calls the entire story "bulls**t."
TMZ spoke with Rachel Uchitel, the woman the National Enquirer named as Woods' mistress. She said she has met Tiger before, but never had sex with him. She claims the "sources" that spoke to the Enquirer were each paid $25,000 for their story.
Sources tell TMZ Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren, were arguing over the alleged affair right before Tiger's accident yesterday.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: mistress, national enquirer, NationalEnquirer, rachel uchitel, RachelUchitel, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Nov 28th 2009 5:29AM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned an ambulance was called to the home of David Hasselhoff on Friday -- and this video might give us a glimpse as to why.
The Hoff -- who has been battling problems with alcohol for years -- arrived at LAX on Wednesday looking ... well, like he enjoyed the flight. His driver got into it with the freelance photog who took the video -- but The Hoff just kept grinning and saying, "It's all good."
Just two days later, an ambulance was called to his home and someone -- local fire department wouldn't confirm who -- was transported to the hospital. Coincidence?
We reached out to David's people -- never heard back.
Filed under: Drunks, David Hasselhoff, Exclusives
Tags: 911, ambulance, david hasselhoff, DavidHasselhoff, drunk, lax
Posted Nov 28th 2009 2:01AM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned former actress and Whitesnake video vixen Tawny Kitaen has been charged with DUI after her September arrest in Newport Beach, California.
Sources tell us Tawny is believed to have been under the influence of prescription drugs when she was pulled over at 3:00 PM on Sept. 16.
If convicted, she faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Drunks, Exclusives
Tags: charged, dui, jail, newport beach, NewportBeach, tawny kitaen, TawnyKitaen, whitesnake
Posted Nov 28th 2009 1:03AM by TMZ Staff
Uncle Sam is about to go medieval on Ving Rhames' ass if the "Pulp Fiction" star doesn't fork over almost half a million bucks in unpaid taxes.
TMZ has obtained documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court showing Ving and his wife Deborah owe the IRS $491,588.06 for unpaid taxes in 2007.
Calls to Ving's people were not returned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives
Tags: irs, pulp fiction, PulpFiction, tax lien, TaxLien, uncle sam, UncleSam, ving rhames, VingRhames
Posted Nov 27th 2009 6:34PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has obtained a photo of the aftermath of the Tiger Woods accident that occurred early this morning.
You can see a small barricade where the fire hydrant Tiger hit used to be. Remnants of debris can be seen scattered across the driveway -- possibly from when Tiger's wife smashed out the back window to help him.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: crash, fire hydrant, FireHydrant, house, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Nov 27th 2009 6:10PM by TMZ Staff
Multiple law enforcement sources tell TMZ Tiger Woods' early morning accident came right after an argument with his wife, Elin Nordegren.
We're told Elin told cops about the argument at the scene of the accident and Tiger gave the same story to authorities at the hospital where he was treated.
One Florida law enforcement official called it "a domestic issue."
Elin apparently was able to forgive and forget -- according to Windermere Police Chief Daniel Saylor, Nordegren smashed out the back window of Tiger's car to help get him out.
UPDATE -- We're told the Florida Highway Patrol went to Tiger's house this afternoon to talk to him about the accident -- but they were turned away by his wife, who said he was sleeping. The FHP plans to try and talk to Woods again tomorrow.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: accident, argument, crash, elin nordegren, ElinNordegren, fire hydrant, FireHydrant, florida, suv, tiger woods, TigerWoods, tree, wife
Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:30PM by TMZ Staff
The United States government might have a bigger budget to work with -- if one bodybuilding governor would pay the back taxes it appears he never got around to paying.
According to documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Arnold Schwarzenegger owes the IRS $39,047 from 2004 and $40,016 from 2005.
In total the Guv owes $79,064.00 ... and as we all know, he's definitely not saving the money for rainy day traffic violations.
An official at the L.A. County Recorder's Office tells TMZ their system shows the lien is still active.
Calls to Arnold's office have not been returned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Politix, Exclusives, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Tags: arnold schwarzenegger, ArnoldSchwarzenegger, internal revenue service, InternalRevenueService, irs, taxes
Posted Nov 27th 2009 5:00PM by TMZ Staff
One of Tiger Woods' neighbors tells TMZ he just saw Tiger and, with the exception of a few scratches, he looks "fine."
As for reports of facial lacerations, the neighbor says it just looked like a few cuts.
The infamous tree that Tiger hit is now gone. The whole area is blocked off.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: accident, car, face, injuries, lacerations, suv, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Nov 27th 2009 4:24PM by TMZ Staff
What a lovely looking fire hydrant -- that is, until Tiger Woods ran it over early this morning.
This is a photo taken two years ago. Based on news footage of the scene, this is the exact fire hydrant Tiger smacked into before finally hitting a tree.
Tiger survived the accident -- the hydrant did not.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: accident, fire hydrant, FireHydrant, photo, picture, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Nov 27th 2009 9:50AM by TMZ Staff
As if Michael Lohan could descend any lower on the crappy father scale, TMZ found out he's over $15,000 behind in child support.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Michael has racked up $15,100 in unpaid child support to Dina for their three minor children: Aliana, Michael Jr. and Dakota Lohan.
Now how about this horrible scenario: If Michael profited off those audio tapes he released of Lindsay's lowest moments, he could actually pay off his child support with money he made from exploiting one of his children.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Lindsay Lohan, Exclusives
Tags: child support, ChildSupport, dina lohan, DinaLohan, lindsay lohan, LindsayLohan, michael lohan, MichaelLohan
