Sep 21, 2014; Loudon, NH, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart is introduced before the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Stewart, one of the biggest names in auto racing, struck and killed Kevin Ward, 20, during a non-NASCAR sprint car race on Aug. 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Authorities said on Sept. 16 that the incident was being referred to a grand jury.
Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo had said he intended to present the case to a grand jury in the near future. He said in a statement he would release the determination at 3 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
Stewart and Ward bumped cars during the race and the collision sent Ward into an outside retaining wall while Stewart remained in the race. Ward jumped from his car in an apparent attempt to confront Stewart during the ensuing caution period.
When Stewart's car came around on the next lap, Ward, while in the middle of the track, pointed at Stewart. As Stewart approached Ward, his car appeared to swerve, striking Ward and throwing him some 50 feet (15 meters).
Ward was pronounced dead at a hospital near the track, a dimly lit track about an hour's drive west of Syracuse.
Stewart, who had often driven in non-NASCAR races because of his love for competition, went into seclusion for the next three weeks. He skipped the next three NASCAR races following the incident and returned to NASCAR on Aug. 31.
NASCAR introduced new rules following the fatal incident, which forbid drivers from getting out of their cars during caution periods until permitted to by a track safety official.
(Reporting by David Bailey)
Entities 0 Name: Stewart Count: 8 1 Name: Ward Count: 5 2 Name: NASCAR Count: 4 3 Name: NH Count: 1 4 Name: New Hampshire Motor Speedway Count: 1 5 Name: Michael Tantillo Count: 1 6 Name: USA Count: 1 7 Name: Tony Stewart Count: 1 8 Name: Ontario County Count: 1 9 Name: Loudon Count: 1 10 Name: Kevin Ward Count: 1 11 Name: David Bailey Count: 1 12 Name: Canandaigua Motorsports Park Count: 1 13 Name: Syracuse Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1v0wQk2 Title: Report: Grand jury begins hearing Tony Stewart-Kevin Ward Jr. case Description: According to multiple reports, grand jury testimony began Tuesday to determine whether charges will be brought against three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart for his role in the Aug. 9 incident that claimed the life of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr.
