Newly released photos of Lance Armstrong's crashed GMC Yukon, sent to Business Insider on Thursday by Aspen police, show the extent of the damage to the vehicle registered to the fallen sports icon after he allegedly crashed into two parked cars the night of Dec. 29.
His girlfriend, Anna Hansen, initially tried to take the blame for the accident in order to keep Armstrong out of national headlines, she told police.
You can see the photos of Armstrong's smashed-up SUV below:
Hansen was initially cited by Aspen police for failing to report the accident and exceeding safe speed for conditions before those tickets were transferred to Armstrong on Jan. 12.
The couple had attended a party at the St. Regis Aspen Resort on the evening of Dec. 29, the police report showed. Hansen initially told police that she had lost control of the GMC Yukon that she and Armstrong were driving home in and struck two parked cars in the West End neighborhood.
The Aspen Daily News first reported the story, saying that Hansen also allegedly lied about whether Armstrong had been drinking.
In the police report, an Aspen police officer wrote:
I asked Hansen if Armstrong asked her to take the blame for the accident once they got home. She replied, "No, that was a joint decision and um, you know we've had our family name smeared over every paper in the world in the last couple of years and honestly, I've got teenagers, I just wanted to protect my family because I thought, 'Gosh, Anna Hansen hit some cars, it's not going to show up in the papers, but Lance Armstrong hit some cars, it's going to be a national story.'"
...
I asked Hansen if Armstrong was intoxicated when he drove home from the St. Regis as she originally told me. Hansen replied, "He was not intoxicated, and that was um, you know, I'm sorry I lied to you that morning but I was trying to make it sound like well I was driving because that was just, I don't know, I'm not in the habit of lying in general and especially not to police officers so, I don't know I was just trying to make something up at that time."
Hansen later told police that Armstrong "was aware" that she had gone "to the courthouse to tell the truth and that he was prepared to admit driving the car and accept responsibility for the crash," the police report showed.
Below are the two rental vehicles that Armstrong allegedly struck:
The US Anti-Doping Agency, or USADA, stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles in October 2012, and he confessed to Oprah Winfrey to having used banned substances in January 2013.
In its "Reasoned Decision," USADA said that evidence against Armstrong showed beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team, with Armstrong as its leader, "ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."
In a BBC interview that aired last week, Armstrong was asked, "When it comes to the doping, would you do it again?"
"If you take me back to 1995, when it was completely and totally pervasive, I'd probably do it again," Armstrong said.
Armstrong is due in court March 17.
He has hired Pamela Mackey as his attorney. She also represented Kobe Bryant.
Mackey has not responded to a request for comment from Business Insider. Mark Higgins, Armstrong's publicist, also has not responded to a request for comment.
On Wednesday, Armstrong posted to his Strava account, writing, in part, "Still can't drive in the snow." He also retweeted a Deadspin tweet that read, "Most people can't drive in the snow for shit; don't be like most people."
SEE ALSO: Lance Armstrong invoked Steve Jobs when asked if he'd ever be reunited with Livestrong
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