The family of Kevin Ward Jr. has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tony Stewart nearly a year after Stewart's sprint car struck and killed the 20-year-old driver under caution.

The Ward family filed the suit in Lewis County (NY) Supreme Court which is 175 miles northeast of Watkins Glen International where Stewart is preparing for Sunday's Cheez-It 355 Sprint Cup race. Stewart was not criminally charged in Ward's death. The young driver got out of his car under caution and ran toward Stewart's car and was then struck. Ward was declared dead 45 minutes after the tragic incident.

The lawsuit contends Steward gunned 700-horsepower car as he drove by Ward, causing it to slide and strike Ward with the right rear tire, tossing him an estimated 25 feet. While the suit does not specify the amount of damages, the family is seeking claims of wrongful death, reckless conduct, gross negligence, and Ward's suffering between the time he was struck and his death.

 

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