Tiger Woods was charged with careless driving following his November 27 car crash, and the case has been closed by the Florida Highway Patrol. (Photo by Jim Epler)
Story Created:
Dec 7, 2009 at 7:36 PM PST
Story Updated:
Dec 8, 2009 at 4:25 PM PST
ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- The Florida Highway Patrol sought private medical records from golfer Tiger Woods following his November 27 car crash, saying investigators suspected Woods may have been driving under the influence, according to a document released Monday.
The state attorney's office denied the subpoena request, however, citing "insufficient information provided to issue subpoena," and a defense attorney who specializes in DUI cases said the evidence provided in the request was "flimsy."
State attorney spokeswoman Danielle Traverneir said the request for the subpoena was fairly routine in such cases and that it was not uncommon to deny them.
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Evans filed the request to obtain Woods' blood test results because "the witness who removed the driver from the vehicle" said he'd consumed alcohol "earlier in the day" and that he had prescriptions for the painkiller Vicodin and the sleep-aid Ambien.
That witness was likely Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, who told investigators she had pulled her husband from the vehicle after he crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home.
Jarius Adams, a longtime neighbor who responded to the crash and waited with the couple for emergency services to arrive, told CNN he did not smell alcohol on Woods' breath.
Woods was charged with careless driving, and the case has been closed by the highway patrol.
Florida defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh, who specializes in DUI cases and has no connection with Woods, told CNN that the state attorney's denial under the circumstances would "not be unusual."
"There is a high burden in cases like these, and I think this case is flimsy," Eiglarsh said.
Nordegren, he said, would not be "an objective witness."
"There has to be more corroboration," he said. "The request says he was drinking earlier in the day, but it could have been 12 hours prior."
Additionally, he noted, it was not clear when or if he had taken either of the prescription medications.
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