A Delaware judge has ordered Kurt Busch keep away from his ex-girlfriend and also be evaluated “for mental health problems related to anger control and impulse control,’’ according to the court document obtained by NASCAR Talk.
Busch must follow any recommendations of a licensed mental health treatment provider for counseling or treatment.
The order also states that Busch must remain 100 yards away from Patricia Driscoll, her residence and workplace. At NASCAR events, Busch is ordered to maintain a “practicable” distance from Driscoll.
The order prevents Busch from contacting Driscoll in any way and state it “may be” unlawful for him to purchase and possess firearms and ammunition for the length of the protective order. The order expires Feb. 16, 2016.
Driscoll sought the order after alleging that Busch smashed her head three times against a wall in his motorhome last September at Dover International Speedway. Busch denied the allegation.
Dover Police investigated Driscoll’s allegation and turned over its findings to the state Attorney General’s office in December. The Attorney General’s office has not announced if it will seek any charges against Busch.
NASCAR issued a statement Monday afternoon:
“NASCAR has been closely following the civil proceedings in Kent County (Del.) Family Court regarding driver Kurt Busch and therefore is aware of the court order issued today. We now await the full findings of the Commissioner and any actions by the Attorney General of Delaware related to the allegations against Busch.
“As we stated earlier, NASCAR fully recognizes the serious nature of this specific situation and the broader issue of domestic violence. We will continue to gather information and monitor this situation very closely, and we expect our members to conduct themselves properly.”
Stewart-Haas Racing issued a statement from Joe Custer, the team’s executive vice president, Monday afternoon.
“These are serious allegations and we do not take them lightly. We are relying on the authorities in Delaware and their collective experience to identify all the facts. They are the experts in these matters and their decision, specifically the one that will be made by the Attorney General, will determine our course of action.”
