CANADAIGUA, NY. — A grand jury on Wednesday declined to charge NASCAR driver Tony Stewart in the death of a sprint car driver at a short track in upstate New York this summer.

Michael Tantillo, the district attorney for Ontario County, N.Y., announced the grand jury’s decision Wednesday afternoon.

Tantillo had forwarded evidence gathered by his office and the county sheriff’s department to the grand jury, which began hearing testimony from witnesses Tuesday.

A sprint car driven by Stewart struck and killed driver Kevin Ward, who was walking on the track at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in New York while the Aug. 9 race was under caution.

Also the prosecutor said that Ward was under influence of marijuana night he was killed.

Stewart, who sat out three NASCAR Sprint Cup races after Ward died in New York, has raced four times since.

Stewart called the death of Ward “the toughest and most emotional experience of my life,” and asked that Ward’s death not be overlooked after the grand jury declined to charge him.

In a statement, Stewart said the incident would stay with him forever.

He said, “While the process was long and emotionally difficult, it allowed for all the facts of the accident to be identified and known. While much of the attention has been on me, it’s important to remember a young man lost his life.”