The family of Kevin Ward Jr. has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tony Stewart, Syracuse.com reports. Ward was killed when he exited his car and was hit by Stewart during a night race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in August of last year.
As the widely viewed video of the incident shows, Ward attempted to angrily confront Stewart after the veteran racing driver made contact with him and sent his car into the outside wall. Ward, wearing a black race suit and a black helmet, approached Stewart’s moving sprint car before being hit by the right rear tire. The Ward family’s lawsuit, filed in the 5th Judicial District for the Supreme Court of the State of New York, alleges Stewart purposely sped up in order to hit Ward when he saw him on the track.
“As Stewart’s car approached Ward, who was standing on the track, Stewart climbed up, gunned his engine, causing his 700 horsepower vehicle to slide and strike Ward with his right rear tire, crushing Ward and flinging his body an estimated 25 feet down the track,” the lawsuit states.
“Our hope is that this lawsuit will hold Tony Stewart responsible for killing our son and show him there are real consequences when someone recklessly takes another person’s life.”
The Ward family and their attorneys have declined to comment on the lawsuit. Stewart-Haas racing, the racing outfit that Stewart co-owns, has also said it will not comment on the matter. It’s not clear how much compensation the Ward family is seeking in the suit, however NY law dictates that it may only collect for the potential earnings Ward Jr. would have generated.
Comments
Ah yes, someone jumps in front of a vehicle and it’s the drivers fault. This is just the Ward family’s greed.
this is asinine as the kid was high on dope when tested. our son drove our race car and if he had been hurt or killed it would have been my fault for letting him drive.
Its gonna be hard to convince a jury of people who have never drove a sprint car before that he blipped the throttle in order to get the car to immediately turn left and avoid a careless, angry young boy who decided to walk in front of a race car doing 60 mph on a dimly lit dirt track wearing all black. God Speed Tony.
This is an example of a new business model in America. Stupid parents breed stupider kids who do stupid acts. Then sue. Amazing.
Here is what will happen.
A out of court settlement will take place before it goes to trial for an undisclosed amount. By doing this Tony will save money because defending himself even in a slam dunk case like this will cost more than just settling.
See in this country in Civil Suits lawyers just want to take it to court where you may pay $20 Million to win or you will settle for $ 1 million for them to drop the suit. Of which the lawyers get 70% of the settlement.
Even cleared of all charges by an in depth investigations the innocent party still loses in this country as we need tort reform where the loser pays the court cost. This way the innocent people will not be penalized and the folks who want to do legal blackmail will have something to risk. Right now even if they have no case they have nothing to lose.
Like Tony or not this is a great example of how the law is distorted and still does not protect those proven innocent.
You may not agree with the investigation but it is legal and was done correctly and should prevent deals like this.
Well it’s filed in New York, and under New York law they can only attempt to collect for what Ward potentially could have earned. But still you’re right depending on what’s cheaper is what’ll happen. Personally I hope Stewart acts upon principle and fights it.
Idiots at their best…oh what has been this country come too people?