On February 23, 2021, Tiger Woods was speeding and crashed his SUV while descending Hawthorne Boulevard from the Peninsula Center shopping area toward Palos Verdes Drive North in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Tiger’s car was estimated to be traveling at about 90 miles per hour when it departed northbound Hawthorne, narrowly missed large trees in the raised center median and crossed southbound traffic before burrowing into some bushes and turning over. Tiger suffered significant leg injuries and underwent emergency surgery to save one of his legs that doctors feared may have otherwise require amputation.
Those who travel frequently up and down this section of Hawthorne Boulevard are familiar with the steep, curvy road and how it is easy for one to exceed the posted 45 mile per hour speed limit.
Our client, age 24, lived in Torrance, but worked at the Terranea Resort, located on the southwestern side of Rancho Palos Verdes, alongside the ocean. He drove to work by using Hawthorne Boulevard and returned home using the same route. He drove a gray Ford Mustang.
Following Tiger’s highly publicized crash, many people complained to law enforcement that another crash will certainly take place, perhaps with fatal consequences, if speed limits along that stretch of road are not enforced.
So, on a late October afternoon, at about 5:30 p.m., a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officer positioned himself just past where Tiger crashed and began issuing speeding tickets to drivers exceeding the 45 mile per hour limit applicable there.
Our client was returning home from work at Terranea and had planned on dropping off the car at a tire shop to get new tires before the shop closed. He was rushing to the shop and was descending Hawthorne in the same section of roadway where Tiger crashed. The LA Sheriff’s Department officer parked nearby measured his speed at 92 miles per hour on radar.
Fortunately, our client did not crash, but was pulled over at the intersection of Hawthorne and Palos Verdes Drive North, where he was issued a ticket for reckless driving, a violation of Vehicle Code § 23103(a), a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
The client mumbled to the officer that by being stopped to be issued the ticket, he would not make it to the tire shop to get new tires.
The client was then released from the location and went home, where he told his parents what had happened.
The father called Greg Hill the next day to discuss the facts and how such a case could be resolved. Greg explained that while the violation was for a misdemeanor, it would be quite unusual for jail time to be included as punishment, unless the case went through trial perhaps and the driver had prior convictions for similar conduct.
Greg then explained to the client’s father what judicial diversion provides and how the client could take an online safe driving course prior to the arraignment to help nudge the judge toward lenient terms of such diversion. Greg explained that if the client successfully completed all terms of judicial diversion set forth by the judge and stayed out of trouble, the judge would dismiss the case.
The family retained Greg and the client did complete an online safe driving course before the arraignment. He gave Greg a copy of the proof of completion to take to court for the arraignment.
Greg then appeared on the client’s behalf at the arraignment in the Torrance Superior Court. Greg gulped as he looked over the police report. The office claimed out client’s car was going so fast that as it dipped with bumps in the road while going 92 miles, sparks flew from the front bumper area from hitting the road.
Greg discussed judicial diversion with the Torrance District Attorney and then requested this from the judge. The judge granted judicial diversion for a period of three months, during which time the client had to perform 20 hours of community service and pay a $100 court fee (no penalties and assessments were added).
Greg explained the judge’s terms of judicial diversion, which the client understood and was thankful he would, upon completing these two terms, “earn a dismissal.”
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