The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has executed a search warrant for what is being referred to as a "black box" from the SUV Tiger Woods was driving during a serious crash last week.

For the department to get a warrant, a probable cause that a crime was involved has to be determined, although a sheriff's deputy downplayed the warrant as being routine and considered it due diligence to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday (March 2.)

"We're trying to determine if a crime was committed," said Sheriff's Deputy John Schloegl. "If somebody is involved in a traffic collision, we've got to reconstruct the traffic collision, if there was any reckless driving, if somebody was on their cellphone or something like that. We determine if there was a crime. If there was no crime, we close out the case, and it was a regular traffic collision."

The black box data may reveal the speed of the vehicle, steering angle, acceleration and braking activity in relation to the crash investigation.

"As far as getting a warrant or getting the download from the car, we just do it automatically," Schloegl told USA Today Sports. "We want answers, so that's the route we take."

Schloegl added that there was "no probable cause" for a warrant to obtain the 15-time major champion's blood, which would determine if he was under the influence at the time of the crash, and said Woods' camp has been cooperative with authorities.

Last week, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva deemed the crash as "purely an accident" and said the department would not file charges against Woods in relation to the single-car crash near the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes on February 23.

Villanueva said the crash was considered an accident, which would, at most, lead to a misdemeanor charge.

"The Sheriff spoke about the information known at that time, and said it appeared to be a traffic accident," the sheriff's department said in a statement to USA Today Sports on Tuesday. "However, the traffic collision investigation is (on)going and traffic investigators have not made any conclusions as to the cause of the collision."

The 45-year-old golfer is currently recovering at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after being moved from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center "for continuing orthopedic care and recovery, Dr. Anish Mahajan confirmed to ESPN.

Photo: Getty Images

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