Tony Stewart hits & kills walking driver with sprint car

[SlyPokerDog]

cant i think they are both stupid?

dude shouldnt have agressively ran into traffic

other dude shouldnt have revved up his engine to intimidate him

im sure it wasnt intentional to kill the guy, buy like i said before, the car probably just got away from him after pushing it too far, so he should be held liable

in any event, there is a giant civil suit coming im sure

You can think anything you want, I was just trying to give you some perspective.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Hard for me to believe Stewart didn't think he was gong to at least come close to hitting other driver by giving the car gas. Stewart is an expert when it comes to controlling a race car. For me it appears Stewart was puffing up his chest back using his car and trying to get closer to the other driver as the other driver came at him.

Any event I'm pretty sure there will be criminal charges filed against Stewart. How serious will probably depend on how experts interpret the video and what other evidence they can gather. Prosecution will have their hands full as Stewart can afford the best legal defense team. So best the state make sure they know what they got and gather as much evidence as possible before bringing charges.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Stewart has won the NASCAR championship 3 times. He is truly one of best drivers in the world. He has amazing skill and has done things never attempted by other drivers including multiple times racing in the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 in the same fucking day. He is one an elite driver.

But he is also known for having a fiery temper. Multiple instances of confrontations and fights with other drivers. He's been out of his car and thrown his helmet at cars before. I don't think he intended to kill the guy but he intended to scare the shit out of him.

I know people like Nate don't respect Nascar but these guys do some amazing shit with their cars. Huge skill required. Stewart was racing against weekend warriors. He should have been far away from that wreck. He's the professional, he could have prevented that.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Any of you ever play speed bump slalom on the freeway? Try changing lanes on the freeway without hitting the little bumps. Best I've gotten up to is 80mph when I had my Lexus.

 

[RoyToy]

The kid is standing in the middle of the track

There's not a lot to discuss

And considering there was a car in front of Stewart, his vision was probably blocked and didn't see the guy in the middle of the track until the last moment

Sad ending, but the kid did it to himself

 

[Denny Crane]

Hard for me to believe Stewart didn't think he was gong to at least come close to hitting other driver by giving the car gas. Stewart is an expert when it comes to controlling a race car. For me it appears Stewart was puffing up his chest back using his car and trying to get closer to the other driver as the other driver came at him.

Any event I'm pretty sure there will be criminal charges filed against Stewart. How serious will probably depend on how experts interpret the video and what other evidence they can gather. Prosecution will have their hands full as Stewart can afford the best legal defense team. So best the state make sure they know what they got and gather as much evidence as possible before bringing charges.

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ges-will-be-filed-against-tony-stewart-081014

Sheriff says no criminal charges will be filed against Tony Stewart

In a press conference shortly after 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff Phillip C. Povero said, "At this moment there are no facts or evidence that would support a criminal charge or criminal intent."

The sheriff's office is examining videos from fans who were in attendance and also is awaiting formal autopsy results.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

On Sunday, Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said criminal charges have not been ruled out but that investigators also don't have any evidence at this point in the investigation to support criminal intent...

Getting out of a wrecked car to confront another driver is common in almost every series. Wrecked race cars can rarely be driven off the track, and the driver has to get out to find his way back to either the pits or the garage. It creates ample opportunity for angry confrontations.

The confrontations are part of the sport's culture: Fans love it and cheer wildly from the stands. They love the bumping, the banging and the bickering.

The site of Saturday night's crash is the same track where Stewart was involved in a July 2013 accident that seriously injured a 19-year-old driver. He later took responsibility for his car making contact with another and triggering the 15-car accident that left Alysha Ruggles with a compression fracture in her back.

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2014/08/tony_stewart_sought_for_more_q.html#incart_m-rpt-1

 

[Denny Crane]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...-of-kevin-ward-investigation-criminal-charges

Less than 24 hours into its investigation into a fatal accident in which Tony Stewart hit racecar driver Kevin Ward Jr. as Ward approached Stewart's car on foot, the Ontario County (N.Y.) sheriff said initial findings do not show criminal intent.

The investigation, though, is continuing into the death of the 20-year-old Ward, who was declared dead on arrival at Thompson Hospital 45 minutes after the accident Saturday night in the Empire Super Sprints event at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. After a wreck with Stewart, Ward climbed out of his car, walked out onto the track and approached Stewart's car, which hit him under caution.

“There are no criminal charges pending at this time,” Sheriff Philip Povero said at a news conference broadcast on ESPNews. “We have reviewed the investigation to this point with the Ontario County district attorney.

“As we speak at this time, there is no evidence in hand or no facts that would support a criminal charge or support criminal intent on the part of anybody.”

Povero said the investigation is ongoing and will focus on the banked dirt surface, which was slick and muddy, as well as the color of Ward’s firesuit and what he called dim lighting in the area in Turns 1 and 2 of the track.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...ges-will-be-filed-against-tony-stewart-081014

Sheriff says no criminal charges will be filed against Tony Stewart

In a press conference shortly after 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff Phillip C. Povero said, "At this moment there are no facts or evidence that would support a criminal charge or criminal intent."

The sheriff's office is examining videos from fans who were in attendance and also is awaiting formal autopsy results.

I'm not real familiar with auto racing and I understand the idea of assumption of risk, but I will be shocked if no criminal charges are brought.

I don't think what the sheriff said automatically means no charges will be brought, as they are still gathering evidence. But I'm surprised to hear what he said vs they are investigating the situation. Maybe charges won't be brought, but I don't get that at all given what I saw on the video.

 

[Denny Crane]

Beyond a reasonable doubt is the standard of proof. There is plenty of reasonable doubt. You have proof in this thread by some people saying it was the kid's fault for being on the track where he was. Even the cops are saying it was dark where he got hit and he was wearing a dark suit.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I'm not real familiar with auto racing and I understand the idea of assumption of risk, but I will be shocked if no criminal charges are brought.

I don't think what the sheriff said automatically means no charges will be brought, as they are still gathering evidence. But I'm surprised to hear what he said vs they are investigating the situation. Maybe charges won't be brought, but I don't get that at all given what I saw on the video.

Is this the type of case where the DA will present all of the evidence to a grand jury and see if they indict?

 

[Denny Crane]

"I didn't see him until the car in front of me swerved and by then it was too late." Prove it wasn't so.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

"I didn't see him until the car in front of me swerved and by then it was too late." Prove it wasn't so.

I'll let the professionals handle that. I don't think I can prove or disprove anything from here in Portland.

 

[jlprk]

Re: Tony Stewart hits walking driver with sprint car, witnesses say

The driver he hit was 17yrs old.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/m...stewart-hits-driver-reports-article-1.1898395

The article now says that Ward was 20. Stewart is 43.

I used to follow a lot of sports, but work forced me to specialize on the NBA. When I stopped watching car racing in the early 70s, drivers didn't gesture at each other, much less loiter on the track. They would climb the fence to escape the potential fire.

If Stewart isn't prosecuted, then racing organizations should ban him to make an example of him. Maybe they should hire Stern to stop the dangerous near-fights.

 

[Wheels]

If perspective is needed to explain that it happens all the time in racing, then to me it sounds like a frakking change is needed in racing. Sad a life had to be lost due to machismo dipwits, who need to prove a point.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Re: Tony Stewart hits walking driver with sprint car, witnesses say

The article now says that Ward was 20. Stewart is 43.

I used to follow a lot of sports, but work forced me to specialize on the NBA. When I stopped watching car racing in the early 70s, drivers didn't gesture at each other, much less loiter on the track. They would climb the fence to escape the potential fire.

If Stewart isn't prosecuted, then racing organizations should ban him to make an example of him. Maybe they should hire Stern to stop the dangerous near-fights.

If you really watched racing in the 70s you would remember it was a lot rougher. That was before restricter plate racing. They would intentionally wreck a person who pissed them off.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

If perspective is needed to explain that it happens all the time in racing, then to me it sounds like a frakking change is needed in racing. Sad a life had to be lost due to machismo dipwits, who need to prove a point.

Yes, the drivers should flop like the players do in soccer.

 

[jlprk]

"I didn't see him until the car in front of me swerved and by then it was too late." Prove it wasn't so.

If another driver was alert enough to avoid killing someone, then Stewart should have been, too. Witnesses say that Stewart gunned his engine to answer Ward's gestures, flaring his car way out from the inner painted line that all other cars were following. Ward had gone a third of the way down the track width, relying upon the drivers having been ordered to adhere to the painted line. Had Stewart done what he was supposed to, he wouldn't have come anywhere near Ward.

If a black guy did this, he'd be up for murder.

 

[Denny Crane]

If another driver was alert enough to avoid killing someone, then Stewart should have been, too. Witnesses say that Stewart gunned his engine to answer Ward's gestures, flaring his car way out from the inner painted line that all other cars were following. Ward had gone a third of the way down the track width, relying upon the drivers having been ordered to adhere to the painted line. Had Stewart done what he was supposed to, he wouldn't have come anywhere near Ward.

If a black guy did this, he'd be up for murder.

Nice try, but no.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

"I didn't see him until the car in front of me swerved and by then it was too late." Prove it wasn't so.

That is why you have an investigation and why I personally thought it was way too early to say no charges will be brought.

Someone died because the actions of someone else, one would hope law enforcement would put more than 24 hours of investigation into the situation before making any decisions, and it sounds like that is what they are doing.

Stewart certainly has a defense, but let's hope law enforcement doesn't just stop at what Stewart said happened.

 

[jlprk]

Nice try, but no.

Okay, how bout this. Nowadays, it's common for the driver to get out and gesture angrily. (They should hire disciplinarian Stern, or his slave refs.) In hundreds of angry situations similar to this in other races, the driving driver didn't hit the walking driver. In fact, only seconds earlier in exactly the identical standing position for Ward, many other drivers didn't hit him. So much for the "dim lighting and dark uniform" defense.

 

[hhhoggg]

Two bad decisions, Ward's would be pretty harmless to Tony, Tony's had the potential and happened to kill.

 

[Denny Crane]

Okay, how bout this. Nowadays, it's common for the driver to get out and gesture angrily. (They should hire disciplinarian Stern, or his slave refs.) In hundreds of angry situations similar to this in other races, the driving driver didn't hit the walking driver. In fact, only seconds earlier in exactly the identical standing position for Ward, many other drivers didn't hit him. So much for the "dim lighting and dark uniform" defense.

Just seconds before he was hit, another driver blocking Stewart's view swerved at the last second. That's on the video. What you say of Stewart should be true of the other driver.

Beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Just seconds before he was hit, another driver blocking Stewart's view swerved at the last second. That's on the video. What you say of Stewart should be true of the other driver.

Beyond a reasonable doubt.

Yes beyond a reasonable doubt but the act doesn't have to be intentional to be a crime. Beyond a reasonable doubt that Stewart was reckless is the question i think needs to be answered (as well as intentional, but that is much harder to prove)

My big question was why did Stewart accelerate? It caused his car to fishtail and hit Ward. I don't know enough about car racing and what a driver would do in a situation like that (believing that Stewart saw Ward at last second), but it is strange that Stewart accelerated in that situation and that is what caused the contact.

 

[jlprk]

Just seconds before he was hit, another driver blocking Stewart's view swerved at the last second. That's on the video. What you say of Stewart should be true of the other driver.

Beyond a reasonable doubt.

A giant curtain could have blocked Stewart's view and it would be no defense. If Stewart had driven where he should have, on the painted line (under yellow flag, you're not allowed to pass anyone), he wouldn't have come close to Ward. Ward came a third of the way down, relying on Stewart to follow the yellow flag rules.

Whether another driver also disobeyed the rule is irrelevant. Whether he blocked Stewart's view while Stewart disobeyed the rule is irrelevant.

 

[Denny Crane]

It was reckless to walk halfway down the track in the dark in a dark suit.

http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/witness-tony-stewart-hits-driver-at-ny-dirt-track-1.9015143

David S. Weinsten, a former state and federal prosecutor in Miami who is now in private practice, said it would be difficult to prove criminal intent.

"I think even with the video, it's going to be tough to prove that this was more than just an accident and that it was even culpable negligence, which he should've known or should've believed that by getting close to this guy, that it was going to cause the accident," he said.

The sheriff renewed a plea for spectators to turn over photos and videos of the crash. Investigators were reconstructing the accident and looking into everything from the dim lighting on a portion of the track to how muddy it was, as well as if Ward's dark firesuit played a role in his death, given the conditions.

Driver Cory Sparks, a friend of Ward's, was a few cars back when Ward was killed.

"The timing was unsafe," he said of Ward's decision to get out of his car to confront Stewart. "When your adrenaline is going, and you're taken out of a race, your emotions flare."

 

[Natebishop3]

Whether he is or is not guilty, I really hope the police/DA give it its due diligence because someone is dead and someone killed them (even if by accident.)

It will be interesting to see if there is a civil case, and what the outcome of that case will be, because the burden of proof is much different in that arena.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

It will be interesting to see if there is a civil case, and what the outcome of that case will be, because the burden of proof is much different in that arena.

It will be settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Too much money and sponsors to risk a public trial.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Tyler Graves, a sprint-car racer and friend of Ward's, told Sporting News in a phone interview that he was sitting in the Turn 1 grandstands and saw everything that happened.

"Tony pinched him into the frontstretch wall, a racing thing," Graves said. "The right rear tire went down, he spun on the exit of (Turn) 2. They threw the caution and everything was toned down. Kevin got out of his car. … He was throwing his arms up all over the place at Tony for most of the corner.

"I know Tony could see him. I know how you can see out of these cars. When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle. When you hit a throttle on a sprint car, the car sets sideways. It set sideways, the right rear tire hit Kevin, Kevin was sucked underneath and was stuck under it for a second or two and then it threw him about 50 yards."


You have to consider the source as a friend of Ward has some bias, but I believe the law enforcement has their work cut out for them as this is anything but a cut and dry case on either side. Why did Stewart accelerate? If he did, does that prove beyond a reasonable doubt he was reckless in this situation?

This is Stewart's profession, his craft . . . he is considered an expert at driving yet it seems he handled that situation about as bad as a novice would, worse. Maybe at those speeds and in those conditions (dark, dirt track) it was just an unfortunate accident as Stewart didn't see Ward, but I'm skeptical.

 

[jlprk]

You say that darkness and dirt track caused Stewart, but no other drivers, to aggressively gun his engine and kill someone. Can you explain how the darkness got control of Stewart's adrenaline, then travelled from his brain to his foot?