Ex-NASCAR driver and son of Zaxby's co-founder, John Wes Townley, has been killed "domestic violence" shooting.
The Watkinsville native was killed on Saturday in a double shooting that occurred in the Athens Five Points area, Athens-Clarke County coroner Sonny Wilson confirmed to the Athens Banner-Herald.
Townley who was 31 and a 30-year-old female had been shot and were transported to a local hospital, after police responded to a shooting in the 200 block of Morton Avenue in the Five Points neighborhood just before 9pm on Saturday.
Townley died of his injuries at the hospital and the woman's injuries are "serious," according to Athens-Clarke County police spokesman Shaun Barnett.
The suspect, a 32-year-old Dunwoody man, was known to the victim and currently there are no charges against him, Barnett said.
Police have had contact with the shooter.
According to preliminary information, appears related to domestic violence although an investigation is ongoing.
Townley was one of the first young drivers in the late 2000s who advanced to the top levels of NASCAR powered by family funding.
Townley’s father is the co-founder of Zaxby’s restaurants and the chicken chain sponsored him through the entirety of his career.
That funding got Townley a full-season Xfinity Series ride at the age of 19 and he failed to finish seven of his 26 starts due to crashes.
That moment could have marked the end of a brief NASCAR tenure for Townley.
His best points finish in the Truck Series came in 2015 when he was eighth. He had eight top-10 finishes in 23 starts that season in addition to that win.
He moved on from driving in NASCAR after running in 18 Truck Series races and two Xfinity Series races in 2016.
Current NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace, who raced against Townley, tweeted: "Damn. Rest Easy JWT. Heartbreaking"
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