A grand jury has decided Tony Stewart will not face charges for his role in the on-track death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. Prosecutors in upstate New York made the announcement Wednesday, just hours after the grand jury finished hearing testimony in the case.
Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo also said Ward was under the influence of marijuana at the time of his death, according to toxicology reports.
Tantillo looked at the evidence and could have brought charges or dropped the case himself, but said last week that the matter would be decided by the grand jury.
Stewart could have been charged with second-degree manslaughter under New York law, experts said, if prosecutors believed he “recklessly caused the death of another person.” Negligent homicide also was another possibility.
Tony Stewart’s Statement:
“This has been the toughest and most emotional experience of my life, and it will stay with me forever. I’m very grateful for all the support I’ve received and continue to receive.
I respect everything the District Attorney and Sheriff’s Office did to thoroughly investigate this tragic accident. While the process was long and emotionally difficult, it allowed for all the facts of the accident to be identified and known.
While much of the attention has been on me, it’s important to remember a young man lost his life.
Kevin Ward Jr.’s family and friends will always be in my thoughts and prayers.”
Ward’s family statement:
“Our son got out of his car during caution, while the race was suspended. All other vehicles were reducing speed and not accelerating except for Tony Stewart, who intentionally tried to intimidate Kevin by accelerating and sliding his car towards him, causing this tragedy.
The focus should be on the actions of Tony Stewart and not Kevin. The matter is not at rest and we will pursue all remedies, in fairness to Kevin.”
NASCAR Statement from Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Chief Communications Officer:
“There are no winners in tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Kevin Ward Jr. family and Tony Stewart as they all cope with this tragic incident at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.
This has been a difficult time for everyone involved and we have respected the local authorities responsible for reviewing this case.”
