Tony Stewart's lawyer moves wrongful death case to federal court

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart's lawyer is seeking to move the Ward family's wrongful death suit from state to federal court.

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a driver killed by NASCAR star Tony Stewart’s car on a western New York dirt track has been moved from state to federal court.

The action was submitted Friday by Buffalo lawyer Brian Gwitt, who is representing Stewart in the suit filed by Kevin and Pamela Ward. Their son Kevin Ward Jr. was fatally struck when he walked onto the track at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Aug. 9, 2014.

Gwitt justified the move to federal court because the Ward family lives in upstate New York and Stewart lives in Indiana. The Wards’ attorney, Richard Meadow, hasn’t said if he'll challenge the move.

Ward’s parents requested a jury trial seeking unspecified monetary damages. The filing by Stewart’s attorney states the Ward family is expected to seek more than $75,000 in damages.

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