The spotter for Chase Elliott on the No. 9 team, Eddie D’Hondt, is able to return to all NASCAR racing activities since he was indefinitely suspended from the sport in May. NASCAR reinstated D’Hondt after assault and battery charges against him were dismissed Friday.
“We are pleased about the resolution of this matter and look forward to Eddie D’Hondt re-joining our team this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway,” a statement from Hendrick Motorsports said.
Charges against D’Hondt, 62, included assault on a female and battery of an unborn child that resulted from a dispute over jet ski rentals, according to Fox Sports. They were dismissed due to “insufficient evidence to warrant prosecution.”
Irene Elizabeth Young was reportedly the employee of the rental company and alleged D’Hondt made “full body contact and yelled in (her) face pushing (her) back multiple times with (his) body.” D’Hondt’s wife filed an affidavit in May that stated Young “fully extended her arm into my husband’s face so quickly that I thought she was about to hit him, and swung her hand out towards his face. My husband took his open hand and moved (her) hand out of his face.”
A statement from D’Hondt’s attorney said that D’Hondt was “very pleased with today’s announcement of dismissal.”
“Mr. D’Hondt would like to personally thank all the people who have shown him and his family a tremendous amount of support and love,” the statement said. “He is glad that justice has won the day and will consider any and all available legal remedies against his accuser.”
“Mr. D’Hondt looks forward to resuming his lengthy career as one of the top spotters in NASCAR,” the statement concluded.
Trey Poole has filled in as Elliott’s spotter since the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The next Cup race is Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway.
