Murder, Manslaughter, or just a plain old Accident?

[BigBallinStalin]

Yeah, I saw it again, and it's hard to tell. But it's not like he hit his brakes or anything.

Hit his brakes? Ok, first off, now that you've watched it a second time, would you like to amend-

But in this case, I only saw the video, and it looked like he intentionally killed him.

Or are you going to double down on what you just admitted that it's hard to tell?

And then your "But it's not like he hit his brakes or anything".
Maybe you should remember another statement you made ITT-

I don't know how 'sprint-cars' work.

Yeah, BBS doubles down in 3...2....1....

I know how driving works. If you dropped your shitty attitude, I'll continue typing.

[patches70]

So I take it you're not going to amend your statement?-

But in this case, I only saw the video, and it looked like he intentionally killed him.

[BigBallinStalin]

So I take it you're not going to amend your statement?-

But in this case, I only saw the video, and it looked like he intentionally killed him.

I already amended that statement.

[DaGip]

Looks like murder (or whatever it is when someone hits someone really hard but didn't intend on killing them). Reduce the sentence because the victim could've avoided the incident to some degree.

The prosecution would look to see if there was intent...swerving and gunning your engine was intent. If they run with that, Second Degree Murder would be what they seek; but as you said, they will reduce it at plea to either Voluntary or Involuntary Manslaughter...but beings Stewart knows that gunning your engine and swerving at a pedestrian could cause harm or death; it looks like the only possible plea he would have would be Voluntary Manslaughter.

Intent ? Swerving and gunning your engine is a normal ACT on a racetrack. To suggest he intentionally wanted to inflict harm upon no personal responsibility would mean that you could read his mind. And you call him a pedestrian There are now pedestrians involved in automobile racing .


Another thing , do your research on this and tell me what position tony is seated in. And why its relevant ?

There's gonna be Stewart fans and people that have hated Stewart for a long time arguing over this. I am neither. I think perhaps what is needed is more video from around the track (my suspicions is that it does not exist), also, if there was video from inside Tony's car would be of great help.

From a friend of Ward's (who is also a Sprint Car racer) who was watching the race from the stands said:

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.

"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."

Graves said he didn't believe it was intentional.

"You never mean to do something like that," Graves told Sporting News. "Kevin was pissed and he let Tony know. And Tony was trying to give the message back that he wasn't happy either. He went over the line with it."

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/p ... art-081014

The Caution came out, so then I suppose Ward needs to get into position for the pacer. So where was his position?

But putting that aside, gunning your engine as you come up on a guy walking on the track? He was trying to intimidate Ward, and probably wanted to throw some dirt on him...Ooops!

Stewart intended to scare Ward and throw dirt on him, but his actions went too far and someone got hurt and killed. The intent was to scare Ward, not to kill him.

Will he be charged? I don't know. If it happened out on the public street, the driver would probably get charged with vehicular homicide and second degree murder. But if charges are brought against Stewart, I can't imagine it going any higher than Involuntary Manslaughter...more than likely it will be plead down to Misdemeanor Manslaughter, because his actions were meant to intimidate Ward, not to harm or kill him.

Anyway, no charges have been brought up yet and the sheriff said there was no criminal investigation at this time.

I can't imagine being Ward's family right now. Probably civil lawsuits will be enough on this issue.

[danfrank666]

I frequented Riverhead raceway on Long island for many years , Its a nascar sanctioned track. It is asphalt , the point i am trying to make is that video cameras are not allowed , communication between spotter and driver is. The track this happened at neither of the two are allowed. A spotter easily could have talked the young lad down . It`s a tragedy , fortunately the lesson will be learned and no one will abandon their vehicle in the future unless its burning .

[patrickaa317]

Stewart didn't swerve. He did accelerate as a "yeah I got it, eat some dirt" move. This caused his car to fish tail and unfortunately hit Ward. I think it'd be good to definitely investigate this further. Stewart is known for having a hot head and this move may not have went the way intended but it did result in a fellow racers death.

I think it was an accident that occurred because of two short fuses. No personal opinion if he should be charged or not; could have been avoided by both parties.

[IcePack]

Stewart didn't swerve. He did accelerate as a "yeah I got it, eat some dirt" move. This caused his car to fish tail and unfortunately hit Ward. I think it'd be good to definitely investigate this further. Stewart is known for having a hot head and this move may not have went the way intended but it did result in a fellow racers death.

I think it was an accident that occurred because of two short fuses. No personal opinion if he should be charged or not; could have been avoided by both parties.

Pretty much sums up my opinion

[AAFitz]

In the video we can see a guy run into the path of oncoming race cars, get narrowly missed by one and then venture even further into the middle of the track before being hit by another. It looks to me like the collision was caused entirely by the pedestrian.

Did ya see the part where the car swerves INTO him?

I dont know man, it seems like the car swerves after he hits him, which if a person hit the back right tire and even slowed its spin a little would be the exact response you would expect. It would then aim at the wall as it did and he'd be forced to cut it hard back. The car did exactly what youd expect after hitting him whether on purpose or not.

Also, to dodge something with the rear end, especially when sliding, you turn the other way to avoid fishtailing into him.

I cant say for sure thats what happened, but youre making shit up if you say you know for sure he purposely tried to hit him, just as much as Id be if I said I know for sure he wasnt.

Maybe you should stick to commenting on the "bike hitting things accidents and not the cars hitting things. " There's a pretty complex set of principles at speed on slippery tracks that are counterintuitive to anyone who hasnt experienced them first hand. Try sliding an extended cab pickup truck with a plow around for 20 years, without hitting anything, and them maybe youll understand driving isnt just "turn left, hit brake" on a curve to avoid something on your right, especially at speed on a slippery surface to boot. Again, counterintuitive, but in many cases, hitting the brake and turning left sharply will send a car on dirt right faster than hitting the brakes on a curve which automatically send a vehicle right on a curved track. It may look like a straightaway there, but really, they are already in a turn, turning to sharply to the left could have rolled him right on top of him, and its naive, ignorant and reckless to assume it was on purpose based on that video, at this time.

[BigBallinStalin]

In the video we can see a guy run into the path of oncoming race cars, get narrowly missed by one and then venture even further into the middle of the track before being hit by another. It looks to me like the collision was caused entirely by the pedestrian.

Did ya see the part where the car swerves INTO him?

I dont know man, it seems like the car swerves after he hits him, which if a person hit the back right tire and even slowed its spin a little would be the exact response you would expect. It would then aim at the wall as it did and he'd be forced to cut it hard back. The car did exactly what youd expect after hitting him whether on purpose or not.

Also, to dodge something with the rear end, especially when sliding, you turn the other way to avoid fishtailing into him.

I cant say for sure thats what happened, but youre making shit up if you say you know for sure he purposely tried to hit him, just as much as Id be if I said I know for sure he wasnt.

Maybe you should stick to commenting on the "bike hitting things accidents and not the cars hitting things. " There's a pretty complex set of principles at speed on slippery tracks that are counterintuitive to anyone who hasnt experienced them first hand. Try sliding an extended cab pickup truck with a plow around for 20 years, without hitting anything, and them maybe youll understand driving isnt just "turn left, hit brake" on a curve to avoid something on your right, especially at speed on a slippery surface to boot. Again, counterintuitive, but in many cases, hitting the brake and turning left sharply will send a car on dirt right faster than hitting the brakes on a curve which automatically send a vehicle right on a curved track. It may look like a straightaway there, but really, they are already in a turn, turning to sharply to the left could have rolled him right on top of him, and its naive, ignorant and reckless to assume it was on purpose based on that video, at this time.

You're about 3 days too late.

[Gweeedo]

Even if this does go to trial...fat chance he will be convicted of Murder.
He just Got away with Muurrder!

I don't think Stewart is a confrontational kind of guy, just trying to avoid a confrontation...or eliminate one.

[KoolBak]

He's a race car driver; he didnt swerve, the stupid kid fucked up and died for it - over 20 racers a year die historically per year in the US.....this is the first time I've seen anything racing related here on CC.....you ladies just love dirty laundry

2 of the Pettys have died in the fairly recent history not to mention the Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt who was taken out by Sterling Marlin.....this shit happens in racing.

You wanna run out into traffic, you do so at your own risk. I, for one, wouldn't run out into a 4 lane road full of vehicles travelling at 40 mph.....

Tragic.

[AAFitz]

Driving a car numbered 13, then running into traffic on a speedway after hitting the wall already is certainly not funny, but it wouldn't be believable in a comedy anything less slapstick than Naked Gun.

[oVo]

Kevin Ward's nomination for this year's Darwin Award is now pending.

His actions after the collision certainly make him a front runner
and for someone who should have known better, absurd.

This short track course isn't the style of racing I initially thought
when I heard the news. The swerve looks like he's jockeying for
position with the car in front of him and I doubt he even saw Ward
on the track until it was too late.

[DaGip]

He's a race car driver; he didnt swerve, the stupid kid fucked up and died for it - over 20 racers a year die historically per year in the US.....this is the first time I've seen anything racing related here on CC.....you ladies just love dirty laundry

2 of the Pettys have died in the fairly recent history not to mention the Intimidator, Dale Earnhardt who was taken out by Sterling Marlin.....this shit happens in racing.

You wanna run out into traffic, you do so at your own risk. I, for one, wouldn't run out into a 4 lane road full of vehicles travelling at 40 mph.....

Tragic.

There have been plenty of race threads.

[KoolBak]

Ahhhh....just missed them amidst the political / religious fervor

[DaGip]

Ahhhh....just missed them amidst the political / religious fervor

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=33476&hilit=Race

see.

[KoolBak]