SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — The father of the driver run over and killed by Tony Stewart tells The Syracuse Post-Standard that “there’s no reason for” the crash that led to his son’s death.
Kevin Ward Jr. was sent into the wall when his car was bumped by Stewart’s in a dirt-track race on Saturday night. Ward got out of the car and walked onto the track, where he was hit by Stewart.
Kevin Ward Sr. told the newspaper that, “the one person that knows what happened that night is possibly facing 10 years in prison. Is he going to say what he done?”
When the 20-year-old Ward got out of his damaged car, he walked on the track and appeared to point at Stewart. Other cars drove past him, but Stewart’s right-rear tire appeared to hit him and drag him along the track.
“Apparently, Tony Stewart was the only one driving out there who didn’t see him,” Ward told the newspaper.
No charges have been filed against Stewart, but they are still possible.
APPHOTO NYR101: ADDS MANDATORY CREDIT- This June 28, 2014 photo provided by Empire Super Sprints, Inc., shows sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr., at the Merrittville Speedway in Thorold, Canada. Ward was killed Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014 at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park in Central Square, N.Y., when the car being driven by Tony Stewart struck the 20-year-old who had climbed from his crashed car and was on the darkened dirt track trying to confront Stewart following a bump with Stewart one lap earlier. (AP Photo/Empire Super Sprints, Inc.) (28 Jun 2014)
< APPHOTO NYME104: In this Friday, Aug. 8, 2014 photograph, Tony Stewart stands in the garage area after a practice session for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Watkins Glen International, in Watkins Glen N.Y. Stewart struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr., 20, a sprint car driver who had climbed from his car and was on the track trying to confront Stewart during a race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York on Saturday night. Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said his department’s investigation is not criminal and that Stewart was “fully cooperative” and appeared “very upset” over what had happened. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) (10 Aug 2014) < APPHOTO NYME104: A small memorial of flowers is seen at Canandaigua Motorsports Park Monday, Aug. 11, 2014, in Canandaigua, N.Y. On Saturday night, Tony Stewart struck and killed Kevin Ward Jr., 20, a sprint car driver who had climbed from his car and was on the track trying to confront Stewart during a race at the track in upstate New York. Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said his department’s investigation is not criminal and that Stewart was “fully cooperative” and appeared “very upset” over what had happened. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) (11 Aug 2014) < APPHOTO NY152: FILE – In this Aug. 5, 2013, file photo, three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart races at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Stewart broke his leg in the race. Stewart’s hobby, racing on tiny little tracks in nondescript towns outside of a busy NASCAR schedule, is again being called into question. (AP Photo/The Des Moines Register, Mary Willie, File) NO SALES (20 Jan 2012) < ___ Online: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/08/kevin_ward_sr_speaks_about_his_son_his_death_and_tony_stewart.html#incart_river Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
