Bruce Jenner on deadly crash: ‘It is a devastating tragedy’

Former Olympian Bruce Jenner, in his first comments since a four-vehicle crash Saturday left a 69-year-old woman dead, called the accident a “devastating tragedy� and vowed to cooperate with investigators.

“My heartfelt and deepest sympathies go out to the family and loved ones, and to all of those who were involved or injured in this terrible accident,� Jenner said in a statement released by his publicist. “It is a devastating tragedy and I cannot pretend to imagine what this family is going through at this time. I am praying for them. I will continue to cooperate in every way possible.�

The deadly collision remains under investigation, but Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said a Lexus slammed into a Toyota Prius that had slowed down or stopped on Pacific Coast Highway.

Jenner, who was driving a black Cadillac Escalade hauling a trailer carrying an off-road vehicle, rear-ended the Lexus, pushing it into oncoming traffic.

A Hummer traveling southbound collided head-on with the Lexus, whose driver, 69-year-old Kim Howe, died at the scene.

Detectives and traffic investigators will examine the phone records of Jenner and other motorists involved to determine if cellphone use played a role in the collision.

Jenner’s apparent gender transition has attracted zealous media coverage in recent weeks, but there’s no evidence that paparazzi played a role in the crash.

Jenner was being trailed by paparazzi, but according to sheriff’s Sgt. Philip Brooks, it’s unlikely he was trying to flee them.

The Jenner-Kardashian family – whose goings-on have been on display in a series of reality TV shows and are standard fodder for tabloids – are no strangers to trailing throngs of photographers.

Paparazzi on-scene managed to document the crash and the moments afterward. Donning sunglasses and a baseball cap, Jenner surveyed the wreckage, according to photos posted on the celebrity gossip website TMZ.

Jenner passed a field-sobriety test and took a blood-alcohol test. Results were not immediately available.

Three children and two adults were also hurt in the crash, none with serious injuries.

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