ATHENS, Ga. — Athens-Clarke County Police Department officials have released more details regarding the death of former NASCAR driver John Wes Townley.
In a statement released Monday morning, police department officials said the initial investigation indicates that Townley arrived at the home occupied by Zachary Anderson, 32, and Townley’s estranged wife, Laura Townley, 30, on Saturday night.
A fracas ensued between Townley and Anderson involving a hatchet. At some point during the altercation, Anderson fired several shots from a firearm, striking both Laura Townley and John Wes Townley.
Both were taken to a local hospital, where John Wes Townley later died. Laura Townley sustained serious injuries, but is expected to survive.
The investigation is ongoing.
Townley, the son of Zaxby’s co-founder Tony Townley, made 186 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series during a career that spanned from 2008 to ’16. He won his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway on Oct. 3, 2015.
In addition to his one Truck Series win, Townley also earned a pair of ARCA Menards Series victories at Daytona Int’l Speedway in 2013 and ’16.