Sheriff: Investigation into Tony Stewart crash completed

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y.--An investigation into the on-track death of Kevin Ward Jr., who was struck Aug. 9 by a car driven by NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, has been completed, according to a statement released by the Ontario County (N.Y) Sheriff's Department.

CBS Sports reports that the findings will be announced next week.

The "thorough" investigation included a "forensic video enhancement recently received from the New York State Police laboratory in Albany," according to the statement. The department also reportedly sought motorsports experts to corroborate the images and sounds from the video clip of the crash.

The entire investigation, including the video enhancement, has been submitted to the local district attorney's office, which "will make a statement late next week advising what action will be taken regarding the investigation."

Ward was struck and killed when he tried to confront Tony Stewart during a race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in New York. Ward was frustrated that Stewart had sent his car into the wall on the previous lap.

Sheriff Philip Povero said that Stewart had been accessible in the immediate aftermath of the accident, and that initial findings gave no indication of criminal intent.

Stewart skipped his next three scheduled races and, aside from brief statement to Ward's family, remained in seclusion. He returned to the racetrack on Aug. 31 in Atlanta, but crashed twice and exited the race early. He didn't win the season's final regular season race at Richmond either, eliminating him from the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff.