A former NASCAR driver who was shot to death over the weekend in Athens allegedly attacked his ex-wife and the shooter before the man opened fire, police say.
The preliminary investigation by Athens-Clarke County police reveals John Wes Townley, 31, arrived with a hatchet at 240 Morton Avenue on Saturday evening, October 2. Laura Townley, 30, and Zachary Anderson, 32, of Dunwoody occupied the Five Points area residence.
Townley “attacked Mr. Anderson and Ms. Townley with a hatchet,” the police report states. “Mr. Anderson fired several shots from his gun which struck Mr. Townley and accidentally struck Ms. Townley.” She was shot in the abdomen and he was shot in the chest.
EMS transported the Townleys to an Athens hospital where John Wes Townley was later pronounced dead. Laura Townley sustained serious injuries and is expected to survive, ACCPD Lt. Shaun Barnett says.
“At this time, no charges or arrests have been made, however, the investigation is still ongoing,” Lt. Barnett tells Now Habersham.
The Townleys were either divorced or in the process of getting a divorce at the time of the fatal shooting.
“We are still working to determine if a divorce had been finalized,” Barnett says. Police are also working to determine the circumstances that led up to the deadly confrontation.
John Wes Townley was the son of one of the co-founders of the Zaxby’s restaurant chain. He drove the Zaxby’s Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity & Camping World Truck Series.
According to NASCAR.com, Townley made nearly 200 NASCAR national series starts from 2008-2016.
