RIP John Wes Townley

I’m pretty sure I’ve said mean things about this man over his years as a NASCAR driver, but this comes completely out of left field.

 

Jaw dropping. RIP. Jeff Hood was his PR guy who grew up in Madison, worked in print and eventually grabbed the chance to rep Zaxby's in Watkinsville. He never failed to say hi to me at a track. Jeff may have known John better than anybody, because they traveled together everywhere. I can't imagine how he's doing today.

All my best to John's friends and family.

Had he been anybody but the son of the guy who founded Zaxby's, he'd be running late models at Toccoa Speedway. He never deserved the scorn he received, although "John Wrecks Weekly" is a damn good description of how far over his head he was at first. And no matter how good the equipment, you can't buy talent. See Loy Allen Jr., Buckshot Jones, Brendan Gaughan...

Still trying to get a sense of what the hell happened, based on the sketchy info. Townley and a woman were in Five Points, right across from the UGa campus. There was an escalation of something and a third person was packing.

"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.

The investigation is ongoing, and according to preliminary information, appears related to domestic violence, according to Barnett."

 

So domestic violence alleged, and the shooter hasn't been charged. Woman shot, too. What's the scenario here?

Hope the details are forthcoming ... and faster than the rest of the story of the mother and child at Petco Park.

 

Exactly. Was the shooter the woman's husband/boyfriend/older brother? Was Townley doing the abuse or trying to prevent it? Did Townley pull the gun and the guy grab the barrel?

The shooter's cooperating with the cops. Townley did have a DUI in Martinsville over a decade ago, and admitted he had a drinking problem. But 9 p.m. on a Saturday in a semi-crowded area?

I cannot make the pieces fit together.

 

This looks ugly, to say the least.

 

OK. Showing up at your ex-wife's house with an ax on a Saturday night is a really stupid thing to do in Georgia, a state where even retirement home patients are packing. Nomex will protect you from fire, but not gunfire.

Obviously a very troubled guy. RIP.

 

Police report puts a bow on it.

 

How many times do you gotta learn, never take a hatchet to a gunfight?

 

Only once, apparently.

 

"... SJ.com down 1 with the ball, clock counting down, TigerVols at the top of the arc ... ALLEY OOP to swingline for the MONSTER JAM! Indescribably good!

"And that's your Zaxby's Post of the Day, fans! Just mention either poster at your local Zaxby's for a free side order of fried pickles with any sandwich meal ..."

 

Had Zaxby's for the first time recently in Corinth Mississippi. Was pretty decent. Better than Chick fil-A.