Tony Stewart Spins Out then Runs Over Fellow Driver, Kills Him

[Abu3baid]

I can't tell how much distance was between Tony and the guy he killed before he hit him, and how much time he had to react.

Quote:

"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."

I don't think there is ever a safe time to go out and try to confront someone while they are in a car driving around as fast as they can on a muddy track!

Even if Tony has to bear some of the responsibility for what happened, a major portion is also placed on Ward for his decision and action as well!

[Bird E3]

I know this is hypothetical, but I think if Ward hit Stewart, he would be charged. I think it was an accident, but from a few guys that drive those cars Stewart would have definitely seen him and some of them think Stewart was trying to scare the kid a little.

[billchao]

I know this is hypothetical, but I think if Ward hit Stewart, he would be charged.

Given the same circumstances? I would assume they wouldn't charge Ward, either. Care to elaborate on your thoughts?

[Spyder]

I personally think the kid was in plain view, from what I an tell from the video, and that Tony clearly saw him. It's my own opinion, obviously, and I have no way of proving that as factual. However, I do know that during a caution it is not customary to gun your engine in a turn especially (how coincidental?) right when you're next to a driver who is out of their car. I mean, come on. Tony probably meant to hit the kid and bump in down or something. The dude has always been a little mentally unstable and I think he finally let his temper get the best of him.

Again, my opinion and I can't see any blatant evidence of anything contrary as of yet.

[phan52]

I have a hard time accepting the idea that a guy would do something like that on purpose.

Agreed. I know nothing about Nascar and/or Tony Stewart, but this would be tantamount to murder.

Frankly, I think the kid was pretty stupid to be out on the track looking for a guy in a speeding automobile.

[Spyder]

Agreed. I know nothing about Nascar and/or Tony Stewart, but this would be tantamount to murder.

Frankly, I think the kid was pretty stupid to be out on the track looking for a guy in a speeding automobile.

There's no arguing against that, for sure. The result was the death of a young kid which is tragic, horrible, awful, and many other words (if there are any) which describe the result. However, Tony's intent may have been to bump or knock the kid down. Again, knowing that a Sprint car is going to set up sideways when the throttle is hit, how could he coincidentally hit the throttle right as his rear end is lined up with the kid. What, did he mistime his throttle in an attempt to throw mud on him? Highly doubtful.

I'm not making a strong accusation that Tony Stewart murdered this kid. I just personally think he did intend to hit him and knock him on his ass or something. Unfortunately, it clearly didn't go as I think he intended it to.

[Jeremie Boop]

There's no arguing against that, for sure. The result was the death of a young kid which is tragic, horrible, awful, and many other words (if there are any) which describe the result. However, Tony's intent may have been to bump or knock the kid down. Again, knowing that a Sprint car is going to set up sideways when the throttle is hit, how could he coincidentally hit the throttle right as his rear end is lined up with the kid. What, did he mistime his throttle in an attempt to throw mud on him? Highly doubtful.

I'm not making a strong accusation that Tony Stewart murdered this kid. I just personally think he did intend to hit him and knock him on his ass or something. Unfortunately, it clearly didn't go as I think he intended it to.

I doubt he even meant to bump the kid, possibly kick some mud on him if anything however I doubt even that. The kid took an extra step towards Tony's vehicle that put him in range of that back tire. People are assuming some sort of malice behind what happened which isn't there.

[Spyder]

I doubt he even meant to bump the kid, possibly kick some mud on him if anything however I doubt even that. The kid took an extra step towards Tony's vehicle that put him in range of that back tire. People are assuming some sort of malice behind what happened which isn't there.

How can you assume that there was no malice though? Unless you're Tony Stewart, both sides of the argument are simply opinions and personal views.

What I would ask you though, is how you explain hitting the throttle at the exact moment when his rear end was lined up with this kid, while knowing what happens when the throttle was hit? That is one hell of a coincidence in my opinion. I think there's a bit too much to look at to just say "The kid was stupid and this was a s*** happens moment that went unfavorably".

Or, the changing of the rear passenger tire in a panic after the incident during which time Tony's crew replaced it with a driver side tire in a panic. That's a bit suspect as well. I wouldn't panic and change my tire if I was innocent and made a mistake. I'd probably run down the track and check on the kid (while knowing that ALL cars have now stopped).

[Slice of Life]

For the people criticizing Ward for leaving the car and walking out, Tony has done the same before.

Tony has a temper, and mashed the throttle to either scare the kid, or spray some dirt at him and he lost the back end more than he thought. Did he intend to kill the kid? Absolutely not. Was his death caused by negligence on the part of Ward and Stewart? Absolutely.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Somebody get this kid a Darwin Award

[Jeremie Boop]

How can you assume that there was no malice though? Unless you're Tony Stewart, both sides of the argument are simply opinions and personal views.

What I would ask you though, is how you explain hitting the throttle at the exact moment when his rear end was lined up with this kid, while knowing what happens when the throttle was hit? That is one hell of a coincidence in my opinion. I think there's a bit too much to look at to just say "The kid was stupid and this was a s*** happens moment that went unfavorably".

Or, the changing of the rear passenger tire in a panic after the incident during which time Tony's crew replaced it with a driver side tire in a panic. That's a bit suspect as well. I wouldn't panic and change my tire if I was innocent and made a mistake. I'd probably run down the track and check on the kid (while knowing that ALL cars have now stopped).

I assume there was no malice in the same way that others are assuming there was malice. Look, I don't even like Stewart, but someone who makes a living driving knows you can't just "bump" a person....

[Spyder]

For the people criticizing Ward for leaving the car and walking out, Tony has done the same before.

Tony has a temper, and mashed the throttle to either scare the kid, or spray some dirt at him and he lost the back end more than he thought. Did he intend to kill the kid? Absolutely not. Was his death caused by negligence on the part of Ward and Stewart? Absolutely.

I agree with this. Whether he meant to spray some mud on the kid, throttle up to say "F you" through his motor, bump into the kid, who the hell knows what he meant. The fact is that Tony Stewart is a classic hot heat and it's all very well documented through his history. I can't say that this is all just a mishap with evidence of throttling up at the perfect time with a driver who is known to be a bit of a loose cannon behind the wheel. It's just too fitting and nothing has been brought up that would make me think this was an accident.

[Golfingdad]

Moving forward though ... I am wondering if this will lead to some change in policy where NASCAR (I know this wasn't nascar, but I'm sure this behavior is learned from the nascar guys) starts levying massive fines for guys getting out of their cars unnecessarily on the track. If the guy would have waited until after the race hd could have just walked over and punched the guy in the nose and everybody lives. Darwin Award is right.

[acerimusdux]

For the people criticizing Ward for leaving the car and walking out, Tony has done the same before.

Tony has a temper, and mashed the throttle to either scare the kid, or spray some dirt at him and he lost the back end more than he thought. Did he intend to kill the kid? Absolutely not. Was his death caused by negligence on the part of Ward and Stewart? Absolutely.

Agree. In NY, where this occurred, the appropriate charge would be second degree manslaughter.

With Ward wearing an all balck suit, it seems to me very likely Stewart only saw him very late and had very little time to react. But he did react. If he didn't, Ward would still be alive.

It's impossible to prove intent here. But for second degree manslaughter, you only have to show that Stewart was reckless, and that this caused the death. And I can find no reasonable explanation for Stewart gunning his engine there. He had to know he was under a yellow flag, and that he was passing the wreck there, since he was involved in and caused the initial accident.  Even in the highly improbable case that he never saw Ward at all, I think there's a good argument that gunning the engine in a yellow flag at the moment you pass the wreck might be criminally reckless behavior.

What Ward did was maybe even more reckless.  Still, with a caution flag out, and passing an accident site, Stewart in that situation should have been exercising the utmost caution. What he did was the opposite.

[Bird E3]

Given the same circumstances? I would assume they wouldn't charge Ward, either. Care to elaborate on your thoughts?

Because he's famous, and the whole nascar world would be putting pressure on the police to arrest him. Look how many people are defending him now, and saying the kid was stupid. Tony has done the same thing, and 2 years ago he threatend to run someone over. History shows that society defends famous people, unless your tiger woods lol. Magic Johnson was way worse than Tiger, slept with woman at half time, cheated on his wife thousands of times, got HIV and now he's a hero. People care about Tony Stewart, no one cares about some 20 year old kid except for his family.

[Jeremie Boop]

Because he's famous, and the whole nascar world would be putting pressure on the police to arrest him. Look how many people are defending him now, and saying the kid was stupid. Tony has done the same thing, and 2 years ago he threatend to run someone over. History shows that society defends famous people, unless your tiger woods lol. Magic Johnson was way worse than Tiger, slept with woman at half time, cheated on his wife thousands of times, got HIV and now he's a hero. People care about Tony Stewart, no one cares about some 20 year old kid except for his family.

That's harsh and unfair.... If Tony got killed in the same manner, given his past of getting out of cars and being a hot head most people would say it was only a matter of time. As for Magic Johnson.... well that was a different time, I don't remember there being big stories published about his sleeping around when he was a current star. To be completely honest, I assume just about every professional athlete or other famous person probably sleeps around. Why does it matter what some famous person does in their personal life? Does it change how good they are at their sport/profession? Now, if they are involved in something that's illegal of course that matters because they are accountable to the law just like we are, but if they are sleeping around or are homosexual or whatever that shouldn't make one difference to you or me. However, I don't expect famous people to be role models, I only expect them to be good at their job.

[zipazoid]

They were under caution. Because Tony put the kid into the wall. Thus the kid's anger.

And it's highly coincidental, that of all the cars on that track, the one that hit the kid was the same one - Stewart - that put him into the wall.

Look, nobody's debating that what the kid was stupid. But the argument that what he did was highly dangerous is somewhat neutered because, again, they were under caution. That means hold your position, slow down, and beware of people or machinery on the track .

And given how experienced Stewart is at racing, he, of all people, should have understood this.

[Jeremie Boop]

They were under caution. Because Tony put the kid into the wall. Thus the kid's anger.

And it's highly coincidental, that of all the cars on that track, the one that hit the kid was the same one - Stewart - that put him into the wall.

Look, nobody's debating that what the kid was stupid. But the argument that what he did was highly dangerous is somewhat neutered because, again, they were under caution. That means hold your position, slow down, and beware of people or machinery on the track.

And given how experienced Stewart is at racing, he, of all people, should have understood this.

It's not highly coincidental at all, the kid was specifically going after Tony's car. The car in front of Tony barely missed the kid and then he had even less time to avoid the young man than the other car had. I'm not sure if you've read much of the comments made by other racers about how these cars are set up or not, but it's not like you can hit the breaks and swerve them like a typical vehicle.