Golf star Tiger Woods wasn’t the first person to crash in Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates earlier this week, and he probably won’t be the last.
Neil Shouse, a former deputy district attorney in Los Angeles County, told USA Today Sports, while citing 13 other accidents that happened on the road, that the two cities responsible for the road where the accident occurred could be held liable in court.
“That would be data that would put that cities on notice that it’s a dangerous stretch of roadway,’’ Shouse said. “And their failure to take reasonable steps to alleviate that danger, to either redesign the roadway or add a traffic signal, reduce the speed limit, add speed bumps, take various measures to reduce the risk, their failure to do that could potentially subject them to liability.’’
Woods crashed his vehicle on Tuesday and rescuers had to use hydraulic tools to remove him from the car. He underwent surgery that same day and had rods, pins and screws placed in his leg.
The 45-year-old was transported from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for “continuing orthopedic care.” It’s unclear how long it will take him to recover.
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City officials with Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes declined comment when contacted by USA TODAY Sports and asked about the history of accidents on that stretch of Hawthorne Boulevard. The cities share jurisdiction of the road, according to Los Angeles County.
The road has a speed limit of 45 miles per hour, but one sheriff’s deputy said he’s clocked cars going as fast at 80 mph.
The Los Angeles County sheriff has said there is no evidence that Woods was impaired during the crash and called it “purely an accident.”
Shouse said he has been involved in at least 10 lawsuits against public entities for dangerous roadway or dangerous conditions on the roadway and has won about half of the cases.
“It can be difficult to sue the sovereign and sometimes fight city hall,’’ he said. “But if you do successfully, it can be a big case for the client.”