Ward family files wrongful death suit against NASCAR’s Tony Stewart

August 7, 2015 Greg Engle Main Page, NASCAR News Top Story, Top Stories 0

Tony Stewart on track during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International on Friday, August 7, 2015 in Watkins Glen, New York.
Tony Stewart on track during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International on Friday, August 7, 2015 in Watkins Glen, New York.
Tony Stewart on track during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International on Friday, August 7, 2015 in Watkins Glen, New York.

The family of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against NASCAR driver Tony Stewart. An attorney representing the family said Stewart is the only named defendant in the lawsuit filed Friday in the 5th Judicial District for the Supreme Court of the State of New York in Lowville. Stewart was involved in an accident at Canandiagua Motorsports Park in upstate New York on August 9 2014. In the aftermath 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. was dead.

Video showed that Ward had been involved with Stewart on the previous lap. The video showed Ward’s car as it came to rest on the back stretch. Ward exited the vehicle, and still wearing his racing helmet walked toward the line of cars circling under caution. He angrily pointed towards the car driven by Stewart; Stewart’s car struck Ward who was thrown in the air and landed several feet away. Ward was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said in a news conference shortly after the accident that Stewart was “fully co-operative” and appeared “very upset” after the incident adding that the investigation is not criminal and that no charges have been filed. MORE>>>

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Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.