Yahoo Autos Kyle Busch Declines to Shed Light on Mexican Conviction on Gun Charge
NASCAR Cup Series driver and past champion Kyle Busch said Wednesday the fact he and his family safely escaped an active shooter situation in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., last year had no bearing on his decision to obtain a concealed carry permit for a handgun.
“I was a carrier before that,” Busch said in regard to the August incident that occurred prior to the Michigan NASCAR Cup race.
The question was asked during Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway as a follow-up to the statement Busch recently released on social media in which he said his handgun was flagged during a routine screening at an airport in Mexico where he and his wife had vacationed in January. His .380 caliber Ruger and six useful hollow point bullets were seized by authorities at a private airport terminal in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
In the United States, there are no security checks at terminals used strictly for private aircraft. In Busch’s statement, he said he was detained “while the situation was resolved.”
Busch said he had forgotten the handgun was in his bag. Once it was discovered, he “fully cooperated with the authorities, accepted the penalties, and returned to North Carolina.”
“I apologize for my mistake and appreciate the respect shown by all parties as we resolved the matter. My family and I consider this issue closed,” Busch said in the statement.
Busch reiterated Wednesday that the statement he released was “all that will be said about that topic.”
NASCAR has said Busch’s conviction in Mexico didn’t violate the organization’s Member Code of Conduct. That code of conduct, in part, states:
Member actions that could result in a fine and/or indefinite
suspension, or membership revocation:
Actions by a NASCAR Member that NASCAR finds to be detrimental to
stock car racing or NASCAR.
... Being charged with or convicted of significant criminal violations (e.g. Domestic Violence, Trafficking, Assault), or having had determinations rendered by criminal or civil authorities that in NASCAR’s judgment necessitate action. NASCAR will not pre-judge guilt or innocence in the criminal or civil legal system, or the guilt or innocence of the Member, but rather review each matter in its own context and circumstances and with regards to its potential effects
upon the sport.
A report filed by The Public Ministry of the Attorney General of the Republic in Quintana Roo, Busch was boarding a private plane with his wife when he was taken into custody by members of the Quintana Roo National Guard, it was reported by Kickinthetires.net. This occurred after the information was “derived from the direct signaling of private security personnel … assigned to guard the platform of the FBO (Fixed Base Operator) terminal for private flights.”
This occurred on Jan. 27. Two days later Busch “was presented before a judge.” The fact Busch is licensed to carry a firearm in the United States doesn’t mean he’s licensed in Mexico.
On Feb. 3, Busch was sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison and fined the equivalent of $1,098 (20,748 pesos).
Busch has not said whether any type of restitution was paid to have the prison sentence in Mexico dropped.
