Uber Woman, Arna Kimiai Turns Self in for Alleged Attack ... Hit with 4 Charges

The maskless Uber rider seen on video coughing on her driver and yanking his mask off finally surrendered to police ... and she's facing some serious charges.

According to the San Francisco PD ... Arna Kimiai turned herself in to authorities Sunday and was booked into the San Fran County jail that night.

3/7/21
ROUGH RIDERS

She's been hit with charges of robbery, assault and battery, conspiracy and violation of health and safety code. She's still in police custody.

Cops say Arna and her friend, Malaysia King, got into a March 7 altercation with their Uber driver because they weren't wearing masks.

By now you've seen the video, which seems to back up what police say ... that Arna reached over the driver from the backseat and snatched his phone. The driver was also allegedly pepper-sprayed as the women left his car ... although we don't see that in the video.

King was arrested last week and is facing similar charges as Kimiai.

We broke the story ... along with these legal issues, Kimiai is also being sued for a 2019 car crash in which the other driver claims she was seriously injured.

Arna also filmed herself driving a sports car last summer speeds reaching 122 MPH on the highway.

Breonna Taylor Protests Erupt on First Anniversary Death ... Violence in L.A.

FORCING THROUGH
@starwind_cinema / Twitter

Breonna Taylor's death a year ago Saturday triggered a tense, violent confrontation in L.A. between protesters and police.

Two protesters jumped on the hood of an LAPD squad car ... the protesters began pounding on the hood and the car abruptly accelerated, hurling them onto the pavement.

Police showed up in riot gear as they faced off with protesters. Several businesses in the area were vandalized as well.

There were also demonstrations in New York and Louisville -- the city where Breonna Taylor was shot to death by police -- Saturday started out calm with a demonstration ... Breonna's mom, Tamika Palmer, was front and center.

The evening became tense as protesters blocked roads. Police declared an unlawful assembly and it appears the crowd began to disperse.

REMOVING PROTECTION
Storyful

Protests also went down in Seattle, where cops faced off against demonstrators. Cops grabbed umbrellas held by some of the protesters and pushed back the crowd. Several demonstrators were arrested for various alleged crimes, including assaulting an officer, obstruction and resisting arrest.

There were other demonstrations throughout the country. Palmer has asked the Grand Jury to look at Breonna's killing to determine if the cops committed homicide ... something Attorney General Daniel Cameron did not allow in the first Grand Jury case.

RBG Honored with Statue She Approved

Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be honored at the midpoint of Women's History Month ... it will be RBG day in the city where she grew up, and there's a new statue to memorialize the honor.

The statue of the late Supreme Court Justice was unveiled Friday in Brooklyn ... the place where she formed her values.

The Prez of Brooklyn Borough, Eric Adams, said, "RBG was clearly a symbol of what's great about this country and how, when we are inclusive, we can stop the level of exclusiveness that is pervasive throughout this country."

RBG had a say in the statute -- it was designed by Gillie and Marc Schattner while Ruth was still alive, and she gave it her stamp of approval.

As for honoring RBG during Women's History Month ... who better?  As a civil rights lawyer, she was the locomotive that propelled women's rights into the law books of America, and as a Supreme Court Justice, she fought hard to maintain and expand women's rights as well as the civil rights of others.

Anyone who wants to see the statute, here are the rules. Up to 6 people at a time can reserve 20-minute viewings in City Point, providing they adhere to Covid-19 guidelines, which include mask-wearing and social distancing.

Seth Rogen Weed Company Site's Blazin' Again ... After Crashing Due to HIGH Demand

UPDATE

3:13 PM PT -- Good news, stoners -- Seth has fixed the site! Houseplant is back up and running, but he's warning customers there's still a waiting room to deal with the high traffic ... but they are free to peruse the goods while they wait.

Seth Rogen's weed company is having some big issues on launch day, but it's a good problem to have ... his products are so popular its website crashed.

The "Pineapple Express" star debuted his Houseplant website Thursday for purchases, but it only took a few hours before high demand proved too much for Seth's site to handle.

The website went down around 10 AM PT, with Seth joking he's trying to learn how to write code to get it up and running again. He says the "insane traffic" overwhelmed the servers.

GETTIN' IN THE GAME

Seems there were problems right out of the gate, because even around 9 AM Seth was troubleshooting with customers who couldn't even get into the website's waiting room.

Stoners in Los Angeles can still get Seth's cannabis strains delivered by a third-party service, but anyone going to the Houseplant website is SOL when it comes to buying home goods ... like the $85 ashtray or the $220 table lighter.

Seth's preaching patience ... so feel free to light one up and wait this thing out.

Originally Published -- 11:24 AM PT

George Floyd Case Supporters Gather at Court As Chauvin Jury Selection's Delayed

A throng of George Floyd supporters are gathered outside a Minneapolis courthouse for what's supposed to be jury selection day in ex-cop Derek Chauvin's murder case.

The judge in the case on Monday paused jury selection for at least a day and said he wants to hear from the State Court of Appeals as to whether a third-degree murder charge can be added to Chauvin's counts. He had reportedly said he would initially start jury selection with the matter unresolved but has now changed course.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune ... Chauvin's attorney will ask the State Supreme Court to overturn Friday's ruling from the Court of Appeals which said the judge can reinstate the third-degree murder charge. The judge told prospective jurors to be ready to return to court on Tuesday.

The news came after a huge crowd had gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center ... holding signs that read “Hope,” "Reflect," “Stronger Together,” and “This is what community looks like." They had also gathered there Sunday.

There was also a huge law enforcement presence in the area to keep things under control ... though things look very much peaceful. Chauvin, who is out on a $1 million bond, was seen inside the courtroom ... wearing a suit and face mask.

The ex-cop is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. He's accused of murdering Floyd after he was seen on video pressing his knee on the back of Floyd's neck for nearly 9 minutes.

NBA All-Star Game Features Special Court With Tributes to Historically Black Colleges

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will feature a special court designed to honor historically black colleges and universities ... and the first images look amazing!

NBA officials previously announced the March 7 event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta will be dedicated to "elevating Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and COVID-19 equity."

In other words, the league wants to help get resources to HBCU students and staff who have been impacted by the pandemic.

And, to put a spotlight on the issue, the league reached out to several HBCU alumni to create custom artwork for the court.

The final product is pretty cool -- it celebrates the culture of HBCUs ... from the spirited marching bands to the focus on education and more.

As part of the festivities, the official student marching bands from Grambling State and Florida A&M will perform during player introductions.

The NBA has also committed $500,000 in scholarship funding to both the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and the United Negro College Fund.

There's an additional $750,000 in funding that will be awarded to the organizations based on various challenges taking place during the game.

For example, whichever team is leading at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter will be awarded $150k (for each quarter) to donate to one of the orgs.

And, get this ... the 3 main officials working the All-Star Game are all HBCU graduates -- Tom Washington, Courtney Kirkland and Tony Brown.

#Respect

Elon Musk's SpaceX Mars Starship Explodes Again After Returning to Earth

ROUGH LANDING
Space X / NASA

Elon Musk has some expensive bugs to fix -- another unmanned test flight of a SpaceX rocket he hoped would go to Mars went up in flames.

SpaceX nearly completed the successful test flight Wednesday at its facility in South Texas. The plan is for this prototype spacecraft, called SN10, to eventually venture all the way to Mars -- but several minutes after a clean launch and return trip to Earth ... it exploded.

SN10's launch was delayed due to a sputtering engine earlier in the day, but fired up for lift-off around 3 PM PT. It completed its route -- which wasn't meant to go too far up -- and touched down again, seemingly without a hitch.

The official SpaceX broadcast cut out before folks at home could see it blow up, but other streams that were monitoring the action live sure caught the blast.

You can hear someone who was watching it talk about a methane leak, but SpaceX has not said what caused the blast.

5/29/2020
SpaceX-plosion
NASA

We've seen this before with SpaceX's Starship test flights -- this exact thing happened last year at the same facility ... with the same result.

They gave it another go just last month, and the results were identical ... fireballs. Again, these were all unmanned launches.

Even though Elon's said prior failures were just part of the process ... ya gotta imagine he's hoping the fourth time's the charm.

Donald Trump Speaks at CPAC 2021 ... Effectively Says He's Running Again

I WONDER WHO...
Fox News
UPDATE

3:35 PM PT -- Trump turned into a Dr. Seuss character toward the end of his CPAC speech, openly wondering who oh who oh WHO would be at the top of the Republican ticket in 2024.

UPDATE

45 ended his remarks Sunday with more than just flirting at the idea of running again -- he essentially declared he'd be the guy, not in so many words ... but he didn't leave much to the imagination about his intentions.

UPDATE

Here's what Trump said before becoming a resident of Whoville ... "With your help we will take back the House. We will win the Senate. And then a Republican President will make a triumphant return to the White House. And I wonder who that will be."

UPDATE

Considering this followed a long diatribe of whining about the election results and conspiracy theories suggesting voter fraud -- something tells us he wants another bite at the apple.

I'LL BE BACK
Fox News

Former President Donald Trump just uttered his first public words on camera since leaving office in January -- and it sure sounds like he's teeing up another run at the White House.

DT appeared in Orlando Sunday for the conservative convention -- where he served as the marquee speaker for the whole shebang. After delaying for more than a full hour ... Trump finally showed up to a more than welcoming crowd, asking them ... "Do you miss me yet?"

Trump said he was committed to supporting the Republican party over the next four years, and insisted he would NOT start his own party -- despite speculation to the contrary.

45 went on to slam what he described as the left's radicalism, socialism and another buzzword going around these days ... cancel culture. He then bashed Joe Biden's first month as President, saying it's been "disastrous" -- especially on the immigration front.

Then came the big takeaway from his remarks ... the fact that he strongly teased the possibility of him running for President in 2024. He was coy about it -- saying "Who knows?!?" -- but it might as well have been a campaign announcement.

The whole speech sounded eerily similar to his 2015 launch speech ... he was back to calling undocumented immigrants "rapists" and "killers" ... and the rhetoric was just as fiery as ever. Trump rambled at many points in the speech, touching on COVID and foreign policy in somewhat incoherent riffs.

A few things he didn't touch on very much ... his second impeachment and acquittal, the Jan. 6 insurrection, or the Nov. 3 election. On that latter topic, he DID again suggest he won, joking that maybe he would "beat them" for the third time. FWIW, he lost fair and square.

Also absent from Trump's speech ... his wife, Melania. She was nowhere to be seen, but he did mention her -- saying she sends her regards. Anyway, get ready for more Trump ... we think.

Originally Published -- 2:34 PM PT

Lady Gaga Stolen Bulldogs Back Home Safe ... Shooting Suspects Still at Large

Lady Gaga's beloved French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav have been returned ... after her dog walker was shot in the chest trying to save the dogs in Hollywood.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ a woman turned the dogs in Friday night to an LAPD station. We're told the dogs were unharmed and have been reunited with Gaga's team.

Our sources say the woman appears to be a good samaritan and claims she found the dogs and brought them in. The LAPD is continuing to investigate, and the shooters are still on the loose.

Sources close to Gaga tell us she cried "tears of joy" when she got the news.

It's currently unclear if and when the woman will be rewarded the $500,000 offered by Gaga for the return of the dogs.

TMZ broke the story ... 2 of Gaga's pups were abducted Wednesday night, when thieves confronted her dog walker on the street and shot him. Lady Gaga, who was in Rome working on a new movie at the time, offered $500,000 for the dogs' return, no questions asked.

2/24/21
VIOLENT ABDUCTION
TMZ.com

Surveillance video from a neighboring home showed the brazen attack ... and you hear one of the thieves cock a gun and tell Gaga's dog walker, Ryan Fischer, to "give it up" before a struggle ensues and the gun goes off.

Fischer, who was shot in the chest, was walking 3 of Gaga's French bulldogs when he was attacked ... and one pooch, Asia, was able to run away from the thieves before coming back to the injured dog walker.

Our sources told us Lady Gaga was extremely upset by the scary incident ... but now all 3 dogs are safe and sound.

Renee Montgomery & Group Buy WNBA's Atlanta Dream ... from Sen. Kelly Loeffler

BIG MOVES
TMZSports.com
UPDATE

9:58 AM PT -- LeBron James is showing some serious love to his "More Than A Vote" initiative partner ... congratulating Montgomery on Twitter.

UPDATE

"So proud of this Queen," James said Friday." This is everything we are about!"

UPDATE

Remember, the Lakers superstar previously expressed interest in putting together a group to buy the Dream ... but it's safe to say he's thrilled with the new ownership.

Renee Montgomery has gone from the WNBA court to the owner's box -- she's part of an ownership group that just bought the Atlanta Dream from Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

The exact financial terms of the deal are unclear -- but we're told the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors both unanimously approved the sale.

The move makes Montgomery -- who recently retired after 11 seasons -- the first former WNBA player to have an ownership stake in a WNBA team.

Montgomery's 3-person ownership group is comprised of 2 big wigs from the Northland real estate firm -- chairman Larry Gottesdiener and President and COO Suzanne Abair.

"My dream has come true," Montgomery said in a statement to TMZ Sports.

"Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both a stake in ownership and a leadership role with the ownership team is an opportunity that I take very seriously. I invite you to join me as the Dream builds momentum in Atlanta!"

Montgomery played 2 seasons with the Atlanta Dream before opting out of the 2020 WNBA season to focus on social justice initiatives.

In fact, the 2-time WNBA champion was an outspoken supporter of the WNBA and its players for pushing Black Lives Matter messaging during games -- despite pushback from Sen. Loeffler.

Loeffler was loudly against the WNBA promoting the Black Lives Matter movement during the 2020 season -- claiming it "promoted violence and destruction across the country."

Montgomery publicly disagreed and questioned why Loeffler "wants to be involved with a brand that just doesn't align with her views."

Loeffler and her former Dream co-owner Mary Brock issued a statement on the deal -- saying, "10 years ago we stepped up to keep the Dream in Atlanta, as an important asset for a vibrant and diverse city."

"It was also important to us to help level the playing field for women’s professional sports. We are proud of what we accomplished and wish the team well in their next chapter."

"We will always value the hard work and dedication, and the memories, fans and friendships that sustained our commitment to the Atlanta Dream over the last decade."

Renee and her team have their work cut out for them -- the Dream was 7-15 in 2020 and didn't make the playoffs.

However, there are bright spots on the roster including rising stars like Chennedy Carter, who made the WNBA's All-Rookie Team after an impressive 2020 season.

Montgomery has been super busy off-the-court -- she recently teamed up with Marshawn Lynch as a co-owner of Team Beasts in the new Fan Controlled Football League.

Plus, she also co-hosts the "TMZ Sports" TV show, which airs nightly on FS1.

Congrats!!!

Originally Published -- 9:02 AM PT

John Geddert Criminal Case Is Also Dead Can't Be Convicted After Death

The criminal case against ex-Team USA Gymnastics coach John Geddert is as good as dead -- because officials know there's no point in prosecuting a deceased person.

Geddert had just been hit with 24 criminal charges -- including 20 counts of human trafficking and 2 counts of sexual assault -- when he took his own life Thursday afternoon. State officials in Michigan say they believe it was a self-inflicted gunshot.

If convicted on all counts, Geddert was facing life in prison.

Prosecutors clearly felt they had enough evidence to get a conviction -- but the case can never get off the ground now that Geddert is dead.

The legal explanation comes down to 2 points. One, you have the right to defend yourself in a criminal trial, which is impossible once you're dead.

Second, most of the goals of punishing people in a criminal case -- to rehabilitate, to deter, etc. -- are pointless once the defendant is dead.

As to the notion that the case should play out so Geddert can go down in history as an officially convicted sexual predator ... most courts don't see it that way because we cherish the principle that people are innocent until PROVEN guilty.

Basically, Geddert robbed his victims of the opportunity to get justice through the criminal court system -- but they may not be out of options.

Victims can still sue Geddert's estate in civil court where the evidentiary bar is lower -- and there's a decent chance they can win a monetary judgment.

It's more difficult to win a civil case without a criminal conviction -- but not impossible ... just look at the O.J. Simpson case.

Mr. Potato Head Don't Call Me Mister ... I'm Gender-Neutral Now!!!

UPDATE

1:44 PM PT -- Hasbro now says they will still sell individual Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head toys, but the brand name and logo are still ditching the "Mr."

UPDATE

Mr. Potato Head is catching up with the times, he's now just Potato Head ... and it's all about getting rid of traditional gender norms.

Hasbro is dropping the "Mr." and rebranding its iconic spud toys this fall, giving children a blank canvas to create a potato family however they see fit.

The toy giant says it wants to move away from the nuclear family and give kids a chance to go with what feels natural to them ... build whatever kinda potato fam ya want, and those spuds can wear whatever they want.

It's a huge shift for Hasbro ... the company launched the OG Mr. Potato Head way back in 1952, and followed it up the next year with a Mrs. Potato Head complete with her own set of accessories. Plus, it was only 8 years ago that Hasbro celebrated the original potato couple's 60th anniversary with a special box set.

Now, Hasbro says the new toy sets won't present kids with the same family structure you played with as a tyke.

Originally Published -- 11:44 AM PT

Pro Disc Golf Player Inks Massive $10 Million Deal Biggest Contract In The Sport!!!

A pro athlete just signed a huge, $10 MILLION contract ... but it wasn't a hooper or a football player -- we're talking DISC GOLF, BABY!!

30-year-old Paul McBeth just became the richest player in the sport's history ... inking the massive endorsement deal with Discraft Disc Sports that will pay him a solid 10 milli over the next 10 years.

McBeth is widely considered one of the best disc golfers on the planet -- he has 130 pro wins, 5 world championships and 2 national titles ... and was ranked #1 in the Professional Disc Golf Association rankings before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

So ... what the heck is disc golf?? It's pretty much like golf, but instead of hitting a ball with a club, you throw a flying disc into a basket made of chains.

It's a sport McBeth has been playing since he was a kid ... and the dude is thrilled to be raking in the dough after decades of hard work.

"It’s mind-blowing to me to think about that 17-year-old me — or even before that, 14-year-old me — made the right move back then to put myself in this position and be able to propel the sport potentially to the next level," McBeth said in a video announcing the deal.

The guy was already making some serious coin via his signature disc line -- he reportedly sold more than 100k of his own discs last year, earning $4 per disc, according to Cypress Point Disc Golf.

McBeth's previous contract with Discraft -- 4 years, $1 million -- was also considered the biggest in the sport at the time ... before he shattered it with the new deal.

McBeth is also married to pro disc golfer in Hannah McBeth, who is a badass in the sport as well with 3 career event wins. The two got married in 2018.

Congrats on the deal, McBeth ... and kids, start hitting the disc golf courses.

Tiger Woods Rod, Screws and Pins to Repair Badly Damaged Leg ... Doctors Confirm

Tiger Woods suffered comminuted open fractures in his right leg -- meaning the bone was shattered in at least 2 places and broke through the skin -- so doctors used a rod to stabilize it, according to Tiger's medical team.

Dr. Anish Mahajan -- Chief Medical Officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center -- just issued a statement describing Tiger's injuries in detail ... and it sounds bad. Note, he only mentions injuries to ONE of Tiger's legs, not both.

"Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopaedic trauma specialists," Mahajan says.

"Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia."

A comminuted fracture is when the bone breaks into several pieces, according to WebMD. And, the fact it's "open" means the bones broke through the skin.

Dr. Mahajan says Tiger also suffered serious injuries to his right ankle and foot -- which were stabilized "with a combination of screws and pins."

He continued, "Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling."

Tiger is currently "awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room," according to Tiger's PR team ... which also added a statement from his camp.

"Thank you to the wonderful doctors and hospital staff at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department, and the Fire Department. Your support and assistance has been outstanding."

What's interesting ... the doctors make no mention of damage to Tiger's left leg, which is a good thing considering there are reports he suffered major injuries to BOTH legs.

Tiger Woods Badly Injured In Car Crash ... First Driving Video Minutes Before Accident

2/23/21 SURVEILLANCE CAM
DANGER AHEAD
TMZSports.com
UPDATE

6:48 PM PT -- TMZ Sports obtained the first video of Tiger driving Tuesday morning on Hawthorne Blvd, minutes before the crash.

UPDATE

This surveillance video shows 2 vehicles heading uphill -- Tiger's Genesis GV80 SUV is trailing behind a minivan at just past 7:05 AM PT. You can see the logo on the door for the Genesis Invitational golf tournament, for which Tiger was in town. He didn't appear to be driving exceptionally fast at this point.

UPDATE

Remember, cops say they got the call about Tiger's accident at 7:12 AM, and where this video was shot is roughly 5 miles south of where he wrecked. You can see there's a big curve in the road -- not unlike the spot where he crashed, except that was downhill where he'd likely be carrying more speed into the turns.

UPDATE
2/23/21
SCENE OF THE WRECKAGE
Fox 11
UPDATE
TIGER'S NEAR MISS
TMZ.com
UPDATE

1:47 PM PT -- Oliver Konteh, a member of the crew working on the TV show "Grown-ish" recounted to us on video what the director said about Tiger nearly hitting his car just before 7 AM.

UPDATE

TMZ has learned ... Tiger was staying at a hotel where a major network television show was being shot. Production sources tell TMZ, when the director arrived just before 7 AM, Tiger was driving his SUV very fast as he was leaving the property and almost hit the director's car. The director was shaken enough to tell production staff about it after he parked.

UPDATE

A crew member who saw Tiger as he got in his SUV at the hotel tells TMZ, once Tiger got in his vehicle, there was a delay in driving off -- we're told his SUV was blocked by another car that was loading luggage -- and he appeared "agitated and impatient." The crew member says once the delay was over, Tiger "took off fast."

UPDATE

Tiger was scheduled to arrive at Rolling Hills CC at 7:30 AM PT for a shoot ... he was reportedly going to give Drew Brees lessons.

UPDATE
2/23/21
FIRST ON THE SCENE
TMZ.com
UPDATE

Deputy Carlos Gonzalez — the first person to arrive at the crash scene — says Tiger is lucky to be alive after such a horrific crash.

UPDATE

During a news conference moments ago, Deputy Gonzalez says it was obvious Tiger was badly injured — so he focused on keeping the golfer calm until paramedics arrived.

UPDATE

Tiger was unable to stand on his own due to the serious injuries suffered in the crash — and was put on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.

UPDATE

Tiger was wearing a seatbelt during the crash — and officials believe it might have saved his life.

UPDATE

Deputy Gonzalez says Tiger was lucid and could speak at the crash scene — and did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol or any other substance.

UPDATE

Sheriff Alex Villanueva noted there was “no effort to draw blood at the hospital.”

UPDATE

Officials also say it was a quick-thinking neighbor who called 911 — which allowed responders to race to the scene and treat Tiger in a timely manner.

UPDATE

There’s more ... officials also noted the area where Tiger crashed is a “trouble spot” for traffic collisions — with Deputy Gonzalez noting there have been fatalities in that spot in the past

UPDATE

2:03 PM PT -- Contrary to the initial release sent out by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department ... a source with the fire department tells us the jaws of life were NOT used to free Tiger from the crash.

UPDATE

1:00 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Woods was alert enough at the scene of the accident to ask first responders to have his manager pick up his stuff. We're told cops have not found anything illicit inside the vehicle.

UPDATE

A photo from the crash scene appears to show blood on the driver's side airbag.

UPDATE
UPDATE

12:43 PM PT -- Tiger's good friend, Donald Trump, has issued a statement about the crash ... saying, "Get well soon, Tiger. You are a true champion!"

UPDATE

Tiger and Trump go back years ... with Trump famously awarding Tiger the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 to honor Tiger for winning the Masters.

UPDATE

12:18 PM PT -- TMZ has obtained the dispatch audio for Tiger's crash, and it sounds like they realized in real time that Tiger was trapped inside ... and were going to need backup STAT.

UPDATE
DISPATCH AUDIO
UPDATE

In the audio, you can hear EMS workers call for surrounding roads to be blocked off ... and discuss the severity of the crash.

UPDATE

11:52 AM PT -- Mark Steinberg, Tiger's agent, says he sustained multiple leg injuries and is currently in surgery.

UPDATE

11:43 AM PT -- An L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. source tells TMZ Sports they do not believe alcohol was involved but they did not say whether any other substance was possibly involved.

Tiger Woods was hospitalized following a bad single-car accident in L.A. County on Tuesday morning -- with officials requiring the jaws of life to free him from the vehicle.

"On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7:12 AM, LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes," officials say.

"The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage."

"The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA golfer, Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods," officials confirmed.

"Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the 'jaws of life' by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries."

Unclear what caused the accident. Cops are investigating.

45-year-old Tiger was in the area for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades.

Just this week, he took photos with stars like David Spade and Dwyane Wade -- and announced his recent back surgery could keep him out of the upcoming Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

2/21/21
PLANS FOR THE MASTERS
PGA

It's not the first time Tiger Woods has been in a high-profile car accident -- he crashed his SUV in a 2009 incident at his home in Florida.

In 2017, he was arrested after cops found him passed out behind the wheel of his car. Tiger said he had taken prescription medication before driving, and didn't realize the effect the meds would have on him.

Justin Thomas -- one of the best golfers on the planet and Woods' good friend -- got emotional when commenting on the accident Tuesday ... saying he's praying for Tiger's kids and family.

Get Well, Tiger

Originally Published -- 11:29 AM PT

El Chapo Wife Arrested for Drug Trafficking!!! Being Held Without Bond

UPDATE

10:39 AM PT -- 2/23/21 -- El Chapo's wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, isn't gonna be getting sprung anytime soon amid new criminal charges she's facing here in the U.S. ... a judge just denied her bond.

UPDATE

Coronel Aispuro appeared in federal court Tuesday on a slew of drug charges, and was ordered to remain in custody pending trial after prosecutors argued -- and the court agreed, for now -- that she was a serious flight risk based on the counts she's facing.

UPDATE

In addition to claims of helping her cartel hubby escape from prison at least once before, the charges against her include conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 1 kilogram or more of heroin, 500 grams or more of meth and 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana for importation into the U.S. ... plus, aiding and abetting.

UPDATE

The judge left the door open for the defense to file for her release at a later date, and also ordered the prosecution to turn over the goods they say they have in a timely manner.

El Chapo's wife is apparently really keeping up with the family biz -- at least according to the feds who just busted her for international drug trafficking.

Emma Coronel Aispuro was arrested Monday at Dulles International Airport, and is facing a charge of participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana for importation to the U.S.

And, get this -- the feds are also claiming she conspired with others to help El Chapo make his July 11, 2015 prison escape in Mexico, and tried to help him do it again after he was recaptured. He was extradited to the U.S. in January 2017 ... before he could make that second escape.

As we reported, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman -- leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel -- was sentenced to life in prison in July 2019.

When we last heard from Emma, she was about to appear on the reality TV show "Cartel Crew" -- which she did for Season 2 -- but now it looks highly unlikely she'll be back.

Originally Published -- 2/22 2:55 PM PT

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