Woods receives slap on wrist for crash

ORLANDO, Fla. – All Tiger Woods has to do is pay a $164 fine – less than a round of golf at Torrey Pines – and his dealings with Florida authorities about his car accident will be done.

What hasn’t ended is the public’s fascination with his private life, which may get more complicated. Us Weekly magazine, which hits newsstands Wednesday, features a cover story alleging that a Los Angeles cocktail waitress had a 31-month affair with the world’s No. 1 golfer – and that the proof was in 300 text messages.

Last week, just two days before Woods crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant and tree, the National Enquirer published a story alleging that Woods had been seeing a New York nightclub hostess, and that they were recently together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters.

The woman, Rachel Uchitel, denied having an affair with Woods when contacted by The Associated Press.

The world’s most famous athlete will be cited for careless driving outside his home in the exclusive gated community of Isleworth. It will cost him four points on his driver’s license, but he will not face criminal charges, the Florida Highway Patrol said Tuesday.

Woods, who was briefly unconscious after the crash, never spoke with investigators. Instead, he provided his driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance to investigators, as required by Florida law.

The patrol “is not pursuing criminal charges in this matter nor is there any testimony or other evidence to support any additional charges of any kind other than the charge of careless driving,” said Sgt. Kim Montes, a spokesman for the highway patrol. “Despite the celebrity status of Mr. Woods, the Florida Highway Patrol has completed its investigation in the same professional manner it strives to complete each traffic investigation.”

After consulting with the local prosecutor’s office, investigators also decided there was insufficient evidence to issue a subpoena that would have given them access to records from his post-crash hospital visit, Montes said.

For days, tabloids and gossip Web sites have speculated about what happened leading up to the 2:25 a.m. wreck last Friday, including a possible dispute between Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren, who told Windermere police she used a golf club to smash the back windows to help him out.

“There are no claims of domestic violence by any individual,” Montes said.