Tony Stewart and family of Kevin Ward Jr. settle wrongful death lawsuit

Tony Stewart and the family of Kevin Ward Jr., a racecar driver Stewart struck and killed during a sprint car race in 2014, have agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.

A hearing in U.S. District Court in Utica, New York, is set for April 12 to place terms and conditions of the settlement on the record. Any settlement would end a civil lawsuit filed in 2015. Trial proceedings were scheduled to begin May 7.

Stewart and Ward were racing in a sprint car race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park on Aug. 9, 2014, when contact between the two drivers resulted in Ward’s car becoming disabled. Upset over the events that led to him crashing, an apparently upset Ward walked onto the track to confront Stewart, who along with the rest of the field was circling the dirt track under caution. As Ward walked down the track, the right rear tire of Stewart’s car clipped Ward, killing the 20-year-old. An autopsy determined Ward died from massive blunt force trauma sustained in the incident.

Stewart said the accident was “100 percent” unintentional. A grand jury exonerated the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion of wrongdoing, declining to charge him with criminally negligent homicide or second-degree manslaughter.

Attorneys representing Ward’s parents, Kevin Sr. and Pam, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tony Stewart almost a year to the day Ward Jr. was killed. The lawsuit alleged Stewart “wrongfully caused Mr. Ward’s death by acting with wanton, reckless, and malicious intent and negligence.” The Ward family was seeking punitive damages and the lawsuit did not specify the amount of damages sought.

Stewart missed three NASCAR Cup Series races following Ward’s death and did not race a sprint car until Feb. 2017. His attorneys argued he did not see anyone on the racing surface and Ward put himself in danger when he decided to walk on a hot track.