Cannabis implicated in sprint car drivers death

Discussion in 'Marijuana News' started by Superjoint, Jun 12, 2015.


  1. A look at how the Tony Stewart/Kevin Ward racing incident unfolded and how it may have an influence on legalization.
     

    On August 9<sup>th</sup> of last year, a typical Saturday night at a typical American race track, an event occurred that may well evolve into a marijuana prohibitionist's wet dream. Tony Stewart, a star driver in the NASCAR racing series, who was racing sprint cars at Canandaigua (NY) Motor Sports Park, hit and killed fellow driver Kevin Ward. By Sunday morning headlines across the internet trumpeted the news, complete with Youtube links. In this age of cameras everywhere, a fan caught the incident on video and uploaded it. Immediately the country was thrown into two camps. Those who blamed Stewart versus those who blamed Ward.
     
    The finger pointing began. If it was any other NASCAR driver involved the incident would have been written off as an unfortunate accident. But this was Tony Stewart, (also known as “Smoke” in the racing community.) He was a notorious hothead. Well noted are his helmet throwing episodes and sucker punches thrown after the race. But he's also been fined and put on probation by NASCAR in 2002 for shoving a photographer and was investigated by the Sullivan County (TN) Sheriff for reportedly shoving a woman into a trailer although no charges were ever filed. Did he really just run over this kid, whom he had already driven into the wall the previous lap, on purpose? Or was it just an accident?
     
    But then there's Kevin Ward. A young kid early in his racing career. After he hits the wall, bad idea #1 shows up. He emerges from his car. Even though the field is under the caution flag, cars are still moving at a decent clip to close up for the restart. No emergency crews had arrived at Ward's car yet because of this. He proceeds with bad idea #2 and starts running around a not so well lit track in a black fire suit. Five cars avoided him. Although he was near his highly visible car as the first two passed, the third car came very near. The 4<sup>th</sup> was further away, but the 5<sup>th</sup> car nearly catches Ward who is looking up the track for Stewart. The camera wobbles a bit at this point, almost as if the person holding it noticed how close the 5<sup>th</sup> car came to Ward. Then a you hear a motor rev and see Stewart's car wobble as Ward disappears behind it. Just like that, Kevin Ward's life was over.
     

    A sprint car is designed to do two things. Haul ass and turn left. It built not to hug the track but to slide effectively. The term “backing it in” describes the power slide that is essential to get through corners in dirt track racing. They have four radically different sized tires and are turned as much with the gas pedal as the steering wheel. Turning the wheel without the being on gas pedal will often result in the car going straight. Those outside the racing community who weren't aware of those previous facts began the call for investigation into manslaughter charges. But others with knowledge of the sport defended Stewart's move as trying to avoid Ward but not having enough room. The statement was made that everyone else had missed Ward, why hadn't Stewart? But Ward hadn't made such an aggressive move toward any of the other cars. Was Tony just trying to spray a rooster tail of mud at Ward as he went by, but the car dug in and shot him towards Ward instead? Was it just a young kid trying to make a name for himself by going after the “legend”? Much the same way the “legend” went after after those he felt had wronged him? Eventually the case was turned over to a Ontario County (NY) grand jury to decide.
     
    At a press conference on September 24<sup>th</sup>, District Attorney Michael Tantillo announced that no criminal charges would be brought against Stewart. No big surprise there. It wasn't like Ward was sitting in a lawn chair drinking lemonade when Stewart ran over him. But then a bombshell was dropped. When asked if any toxicology reports were given to the grand jury Tantillo replied no reports were presented. But then he felt compelled to add, “There is toxicology evidence in the case relating to Kevin Ward that actually indicated at the time of operation, he was under the influence of marijuana. There was no toxicology performed on Tony Stewart, however a certified drug recognition expert had interviewed him on the night of the collision and determined that he found no basis to observe any alcohol consumption or impairment by drugs.” Responding to another question later he added, “The (marijuana) levels that were determined were enough to impair judgment.”
     
    What?
    He was stoned? And driving a sprint car? And wandering around in traffic?
    And just what is a “certified drug recognition expert”? And where do I apply?
     
    In America, when no charges are brought in relation to an accidental death there still lies the possibility of a civil suit for wrongful death. If the plaintiff can prove that negligent actions caused the death, a monetary award may be given. Kevin Ward's family has mentioned that they might pursue this course of action although nothing official has been filed yet. But thanks to Mr. Tantillo's unsolicited mentioning of the fact that Kevin was intoxicated on marijuana at the time of the incident, the possibility of winning a civil case against Stewart has plummeted. His lawyers now have an ace in the hole and can use the argument that Ward was stoned out of his mind and had no idea what he was doing, thus making Stewart an innocent victim.
     
    And rest assured those against legalization will be making Kevin Ward their poster child. They have been hard pressed lately to come up with arguments against marijuana. Ward's move gave them the fodder they've been craving. The internet news forums are already going full tilt talking about the “stoner” who was running around a racetrack and got killed. Get ready for official prohibitionists to follow suit. This is too delicious for them to pass up. In the end, they will be the only winners here. Not Ward's family, who on top of dealing with the loss of a young life, will probably receive no financial compensation because of Kevin's toxicology report. Not Stewart, who is the only one who truly knows his intentions on that fateful night and will have to live with the memory. And not the recreational users of cannabis, who will again endure the stereotypes even though very few of us have been killed running around race tracks. Let's all make an effort to not be poster children for the opposition, even if it means staying in the car.
     

    Update: An open letter from Kevin Ward's aunt.
    http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/09/28/kevin-ward-jr-wendi-ward-open-letter-tony-stewart/16381951/
     
  2. #2 Deleted member 281310, Jun 12, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2015
    It's crazy how inspiring that letter is and it's astonishing how people an connect with the dead so vividly. now if we could only keep that image alive and let them live, the good ones, then we have the power to make this world better. the good are honored and remembered and with the dead we have an army to fight against anything we must for what we perceive to be greater good. at this point i believe legal marijuana is greater good and this story as tragic as it may be can shine light on a lot of good for the marijuana legalization movement.
     
    the guy was either stoned out of his mind driving a fast ass car, which is an all around terrible idea (we don't make alcohol illegal for every drunk who kills someone behind the wheel in a normal car so why should we not make pot legal for a rare pothead who might have been high while getting ran over on a race track with a sports car)
     
    stoned mistake mistake
     
    stoned mistake murder
     
    sober mistake mistake
     
    sober mistake murder
     
    point being that you just can't tell or at least i cant from given information and marijuana is not to blame (in the bigger picture of legality status) EVEN if the man on the track was blazed while getting out of his car because there are to many factors that come into play.
     
  3. He was also wearing shoes that contributed in his death because the shoes allowed him to step out of a car.

    Stupid.
     
  4. Is there even any proof that he was actually 'stoned' at the time this happened, or is this just another case of "he had it in his system' so he must have been impaired by it?
     
  5. I'm just upset so much if it was a wall of shit about nascar
     
  6.  
     â€œThere is toxicology evidence in the case relating to Kevin Ward that actually indicated at the time of operation, he was under the influence of marijuana. There was no toxicology performed on Tony Stewart, however a certified drug recognition expert had interviewed him on the night of the collision and determined that he found no basis to observe any alcohol consumption or impairment by drugs.” Responding to another question later he added, “The (marijuana) levels that were determined were enough to impair judgment.”
     
  7. How could they even prove that he was high at the time of the race and while he was behind the wheel? And who's actually stupid enough to get behind the wheel of a race car that can go up 200 mph while they're stoned?
     
  8. #8 FrankTheTank28, Jun 17, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 17, 2015
    I literally copied and pasted from the OP's post. I agree though, the "marijuana levels" are questionable. What about Kevin's tolerance?

    I feel bad that he died and my heart goes out to his family. No one advocates getting behind a wheel drunk and the same should apply here with NASCAR and using any substance before a race. If prohibitionist are really getting this desperate to use this case, they are dirt desperate. 
     

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