NASCAR's Kurt Busch ordered to stay away
from ex-girlfriend
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[February 17, 2015]
By Steve Ginsburg
(Reuters) - NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was
ordered on Monday to stay away from his ex-girlfriend amid accusations
of domestic violence, a Family Court commissioner in Kent County,
Delaware, ruled.
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Patricia Driscoll, 37, said Busch grabbed her by the neck inside
his motorhome at Dover International Speedway in Delaware on Sept.
26 and repeatedly hit her head against a wall.
Busch, who is expected to ride in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, has
denied the charges, testifying last month that he cupped Driscoll's
cheeks but never smashed her head against a wall.
Commissioner David Jones said in his order that Busch, the 2004
NASCAR champion, "has committed an act or repeated acts of domestic
violence against" Driscoll.
The one-year order requires the 36-year-old Busch to stay at least
100 yards (91 meters) away from Driscoll, except at NASCAR races
where his work might require him to be closer.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Feb/17/images/ads/current/napa_bch1-3108.png) It is now up to the Delaware attorney general's office to determine
whether it will seek criminal charges. In a statement, NASCAR said it "fully recognizes the serious nature
of this specific situation and the broader issue of domestic
violence."
"We will continue to gather information and monitor this situation
very closely, and we expect our members to conduct themselves
properly,” NASCAR said.
Busch's attorney, Rusty Hardin, said he will appeal the ruling.
"Though we are not surprised by the Commissioner’s ruling, in light
of the restrictions on the evidence he considered, we are deeply
disappointed because we believe the evidence of Ms. Driscoll’s total
lack of believability was overwhelming," said Hardin.
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Driscoll's lawyer, Mark Dycio, said his client "has been confident
throughout the process that the truth would prevail, which it
clearly has."
"The court saw this matter exactly for what it was -- a man who
refuses to take responsibility for his actions. The court's order
reflects the events of the night in question: Mr. Busch assaulted
Ms. Driscoll," Dycio said.
(Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Alan Crosby
and Eric Walsh)
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