Prosecutors in Delaware have cleared Kurt Busch of any criminal wrongdoing in a domestic assault case brought forward by ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. The driver was suspended from NASCAR competition on February 20 following allegations that he choked and hit Driscoll in his motor home at Dover International Speedway last September.
The Delaware attorney general’s office announced Thursday there was not enough criminal evidence to bring charges against Busch. Last month, a Delaware Family Court judge said Busch almost surely committed assault against Driscoll, prompting NASCAR and sponsor Chevrolet to suspend the Sprint Cup champ indefinitely.
“After a thorough consideration of all of the available information about the case, it is determined that the admissible evidence and available witnesses would likely be insufficient to meet the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Busch committed a crime during the September 26th incident,” the attorney general’s office said in an official statement.
Driscoll claimed Busch hit her head against a wall and choked her after she drove from her Maryland home to Dover when she received “a series of disturbing texts,” from the athlete, The Associated Press says. Busch’s attorney painted Driscoll as a scorned woman who was looking to topple his career when he ended their relationship.
“All along, he knew he was going to be exonerated,” sais Busch’s attorney, Jim Liguori. “The Department of Justice really did the right thing after considered review.”
NASCAR said on Monday Busch had agreed to follow a set of guidelines and rules it put in place in order to reinstate him back into the sport. The sanctioning body reiterated the statement following the court’s ruling, adding that the lack of criminal charges should help his case as he looks to re-enter the series.
“NASCAR is aware of the Delaware Department of Justice announcement today regarding driver Kurt Busch,” the statement said. “As we disclosed Monday, he has accepted the terms and conditions of a reinstatement program and is actively participating in the program. Kurt Busch’s eligibility for reinstatement will continue to be governed by that program and the NASCAR Rule Book, though the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges certainly removes a significant impediment to his reinstatement.”
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