Grand jury to rule at 3 p.m. ET on Tony Stewart-Kevin Ward Jr. case
A day after grand jury testimony began to determine whether criminal charges will be brought against three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, Ontario County (N.Y.) District Attorney Michael Tantillo announced Wednesday that the jury has completed its investigation, and that its determination will be made public at 3 p.m. ET Wednesday.
FOX Sports 1 will interrupt regularly scheduled programming to deliver live coverage of the grand jury's decision.
Tantillo said Sept. 16 that he would present evidence from the police investigation to a grand jury, a decision made after reviewing evidence collected by sheriff's investigators on the Aug. 9 incident in which Stewart's sprint car struck and killed driver Kevin Ward Jr.
Chuck Hebing, who was driving in the race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park where Ward was struck by Stewart's sprint car, confirmed to the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat & Chronicle that he was called to testify about the accident, but declined to discuss the matter further.
Hebing's car appeared to steer around Ward just before Stewart's car clipped Ward after the 20-year-old got out of his car and walked down the track, gesturing at Stewart with whom he had just made contact while racing moments earlier.
Stewart, who skipped three races following Ward's death, has participated in the last four Sprint Cup Series events -- including last Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where Stewart raced five days after learning that the case would go before a grand jury.
In a statement released by Stewart-Haas Racing within minutes after Tantillo revealed plans to elevate the case, Stewart said, "I respect the time and effort spent by both the Ontario County District Attorney and the Sheriff's Office in investigating this tragic accident. I look forward to this process being completed, and I will continue to provide my full cooperation."
