NASCAR champion Tony Stewart is CLEARED of charges after running over and killing fellow driver

UK Daily Mail ^ | September 24, 2014 | Ashley Collman And Snejana Faberov

[C19fan]

NASCAR champion Tony Stewart will reportedly not face charges in the death of fellow driver driver Kevin Ward Jr. Ward was hit and killed in a horrifying crash that was caught on film last month, but a grand jury decided today that they will not bring up charges against Stewart,TMZ reports. The case was handed to a grand jury earlier this month by Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo, who made the decision to present the case after reviewing evidence of the tragic crash. Ward was fatally struck by Stewart while getting out of his car to confront the racing veteran, after the two collided on a prior lap at a race on August 9. Tantillo is expected to release a statement on the ruling at 3pm.

[justlurking]

My unscientific estimate would be ZERO.

Go read the article at the link. It's been updated since it was excerpted for this post.

Toxicology tests showed found Ward to under the influence -- enough to impair his judgment.

[cripplecreek]

Probably not absolute zero but few enough to be considered rare. I remember seeing Rusty Wallace talking about it when he was still racing and saying that other drivers would know and would not hesitate to drop a dime on a driver they suspected.

[longfellow]

The kid was dead wrong but stewart did try to intimidate him.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I can’t say I’m happy about this, but I think the grand jury made the right call here.

I don’t have a lot of racing experience, but I have enough to know that unless your car is burning, you stay in it when the course is hot.

[Banjoguy]

No..never use them, but the driver who was killed had marijuana in his system.

"Tantillo said toxicology reports revealed that Ward was under the influence of marijuana at a high enough level to impair judgment."

[C. Edmund Wright]

..and speed limits too....

[Banjoguy]

"Tantillo said toxicology reports revealed that Ward was under the influence of marijuana at a high enough level to impair judgment."

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Drugs are what it might take for Ward to have stepped out of his car, IMO. As for it being a regular occurrence or even a 20-30-40% occurrence..like steroids in baseball. I would have to doubt it. Look, I have nothing to go on other than my sense, and I am not even a fan and never watch these races, but I believe the NASCAR thing is borderline religion to these folks, they want with all they’ve got to keep it clean, and they get all the rush they can handle driving the cars. If you told me that a few tire-changers smoked a joint now and again, OK.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I think the grand jury made the right call here.

I have enough to know that unless your car is burning, you stay in it when the course is hot.

Then, why are you unhappy about the GJ's decision?

[tubebender]

Say Norm, is it true that California is going to mandate bicycle lanes at all race tracks...

[tennmountainman]

Hey Norman,
I NEVER said he should be indicted. Not one single post.
I said look at the evidence.
I also said the Grand Jury would indict or not indict.

The fact that Stewart went through this Grand Jury process is the
best thing that could have happened to him.

The video evidence was reviewed and no criminal conduct was found.
There is nothing that hangs over his head now. And that is a great thing
for him.
I stand by my statement that the evidence should have been looked at.

[Colonel_Flagg]

uh, NONE.

"The decision was announced Wednesday, nearly seven weeks after Stewart's car struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr. at a dirt-track race on Aug. 9 in Canandaigua. District Attorney Michael Tantillo also said Ward was under the influence of marijuana that night 'enough to impair judgment.'"

http://www.dailyamerican.com/prosecutor-driver-kevin-ward-under-influence-of-marijuana-night-he/article_c164ab5a-441d-11e4-9151-0017a43b2370.html

Makes this story both sad and crazy.

[headstamp 2]

“That was fast. Should have never gone to a Grand Jury.”

Gets the DA off the hook and puts it to bed.

[cripplecreek]

I don’t really think about the low level races like these but its quite rare in NASCAR. But then again, there’s a reason some guys like Ward never get a shot at NASCAR.

[Conan the Librarian]

I was told, do not know for a fact, that the jug of cool water that was in the car driven by Tiny Lund, usually had bourbon in it, as an enhancer.

[combat_boots]

I agree. His state of mind. Both of their states of mind must have been rather ‘off.’

[cdga5for4]

Yep. I would have done the same if I was the DA. Smart decision on his part.

[headstamp 2]

“The kid was dead wrong but stewart did try to intimidate him.”

That’s OK. Stewart still has to live with this for the rest of his life. Only he knows what was in his mind at the time and has to make peace with it.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

In the long run I think it's best for all that it did go to a Grand Jury. Now everyone is more certain that all of the evidence was reviewed and Tony did nothing wrong.

The only problem is that this still most likely doesn't rule out a wrongful death civil action.

[sodpoodle]

****Ward should have never gotten out of the car. It was not on fire, he unfortunately put himself in harms way.***

Ward’s anger took over and he paid the price. Stewart will also pay the price, even though he did not strike Ward intentionally - he was going too fast to avoid some type of accident. Had he turned more sharply - or braked - no telling what other incident/injury would have unfolded.