Neighbor, Rachel Uchitel back up Tiger Woods
Rachel Uchitel arrives from New York at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009. Credit: AP
Tiger Woods and his wife got a boost from his neighbor Tuesday even as alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel spoke out to quash tabloid reports of an affair.
The attorney for Linda Adams, who called 911 after Woods crashed his car early Friday morning, said that Woods' injuries were “consistent with a car wreck and inconsistent with him being beat up.”
Sharpe said Adams and her two adult sons went outside their home in the exclusive gated community of Isleworth after hearing the crash and that Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, then asked them to call 911. He said the neighbors found Nordegren kneeling beside Woods, upset about his injuries.
“The scratches on his face were consistent with someone who maybe was in a minor car accident and hit his head on the windshield," attorney Bill Sharpe said. "None of his injuries looked like he was beat up by his wife.”
Media outlets had been reporting rumors that Woods' wife, Elin, had heard about an alleged relationship between Uchitel and Woods and became angry, assaulting her husband.
Earlier Tuesday, Hamptons hostess Uchitel addressed the affair allegations in a rambling interview in the New York Post, saying, "I work in clubs and I am a businesswoman. I do not have sex with celebrities, and I have not had an affair with Tiger Woods."
Uchitel told the Post she had met Tiger Woods twice because of her job and that the two are not friends. One of the sources who spread rumors of her alleged relationship with Woods was just a girl "looking for a pay day," she said.
Uchitel, who has worked at nightclubs in the Hamptons, expressed sympathy for the impact of recent tabloid stories on Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren. "His wife must feel horrible," she told the Post, adding, "That's a horrible thing to read: 'Tiger's telling Rachel he loves her.' It's just so dumb."
>>PHOTOS: Rachel Uchitel, and photos from the Tiger Woods crash
>>MORE: Click here for Newsday's interview with Uchitel's mom, "Mom: Rachel lost fiance on 9/11"
Woods announced Monday he will pull out of his own charitable golf tournament, which will be held this week in Thousand Oaks, Calif., but he continues to refuse to talk to authorities about his car accident last week.
Florida Highway Patrol officials say they are going forward with their investigation and, according to one report, are seeking out Woods' medical records for more information about his injuries.
Faced with growing speculation of turmoil in his marriage, Woods refused for another day to offer any further insight into the Thanksgiving night car wreck that has made his personal life public fodder.
Highway Patrol spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said Monday in a statement that any charges in the case are pending the findings of an investigation. "At this time we do not want to speculate on what those charges [if any] may be," she said.
Woods, 33, crashed his black 2009 Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant, and then a tree, outside his home in an exclusive gated community, Islesworth, in Windermere, Fla., early Friday morning.
Although authorities discovered Woods with cuts to his face, the air bags had not deployed, and his windshield was intact. Both rear windows of the car were smashed, police said. Elin Nordegren, Woods' wife and mother of his two children, has said she broke one of the windows with a golf club to unlock the car and get to her husband.
The Orlando Sun Sentinel reported that a Windermere police officer who responded to the scene found Woods unconscious and without his shoes on, and that he firmly rubbed his knuckles on Woods' chest to wake him up.
Tabloid reports had linked Woods with Uchitel, 34, of Manhattan - a professional party organizer who has worked for posh Southampton nightclubs. Uchitel's attorney, Gloria Allred, declined to comment.
In a statement Monday, the Florida Highway Patrol said it still had not been able to speak with Woods about the crash, "despite attempts to do so."
"Mr. Woods' representatives have provided us with his driver license information, vehicle registration and current proof of insurance, as required by Florida Law," patrol officials said in the statement. By law, Woods is not required to talk to police about the accident.
Patrol officers Monday visited Health Central Hospital seeking Woods' medical records from his accident, according to TMZ.com.
TMZ reported that the Florida Highway Patrol is "pursuing a warrant" to secure those records, hoping to determine whether Woods' injuries were a result of his accident or a domestic dispute with his wife.
Patrol officials would not address the report, but said they had not commented to any news organization "as it relates to medical information."
Woods' statement on his Web site Monday announced his withdrawal from the Chevron World Challenge 2009, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. He is to address the media at the tournament Tuesday.
"I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week," said Woods, citing his injuries. "I am certain it will be an outstanding event and I'm very sorry that I can't be there."
>>MORE: Click here for Newsday's interview with Uchitel's mom, "Mom: Rachel lost fiance on 9/11"
>>PHOTOS: Rachel Uchitel, and photos from the Tiger Woods crash
