Photo: Getty Images
Former NASCAR driver John Wes Townley was shot and killed during a domestic dispute with his ex-wife, Laura Townley, on Saturday (October 2). The couple filed for divorce in February, and it was finalized just days before the shooting.
According to WXIA, Townley armed himself with a hatchet and confronted his ex-wife and another man, Zachary Anderson, at a home in Athens, Georgia.
During the confrontation, Anderson, 32, pulled out a gun and opened fire, striking both Townley and his ex-wife. They were rushed to the hospital, where John was pronounced dead. Laura remains hospitalized in serious condition. She is expected to survive.
Anderson was taken into custody but has not been charged.
Townley competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series from 2012-2016. He earned his first and only win in 2015, finishing that season in a career-best eighth place. He also made 76 starts in the Xfinity Series before retiring in 2017.
In 2019, Townley was charged with three misdemeanor counts relating to domestic violence. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and received 12 months of probation.