NASCAR star ended a wrongful death lawsuit that had been going on for over two years
The legal battle had gone on for more than two years.
But just a few weeks before a trial was to begin, NASCAR star Tony Stewart and the family of Kevin Ward Jr. had reached an agreement, as reported by Country Music Nation.
Ward, 20, was killed in a collision, an incident that led his family to file a wrongful death complaint against Stewart.
The trial, which was the result of the ongoing case between Stewart and Ward's family, was set to begin on May 7, 2018.
Ward's family insisted that the former professional stock car racing driver caused the crash that claimed the 20-year-old's life.
Ward was killed due to massive blunt trauma after Stewart’s car hit him on August 9th, 2014. During that time, the car racing driver was discovered to have been under the influence of marijuana.
"There aren't words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. It's a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I've decided not to participate in today's race at Watkins Glen," Stewart said, according to The New York Times.
Stewart also sent his warmest thoughts and prayers to Ward's family, friends and everyone affected by the accident.
The Ward family filed a civil lawsuit in federal court after a grand jury ruled not to indict Stewart on murder charges, Country Music Nation reported.
But in April of 2018, it was announced that the wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart had been settled out-of-court. According to reports, the terms of the settlement were confidential.
Stewart is the only driver in history to win a championship in both IndyCar and NASCAR. He has won racing titles in Indy, midget, sprint, and USAC Silver Crown cars, throughout his racing career.