Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver Tyler Dippel said in a statement on Facebook that the charge against him of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree was dropped in a court appearance Wednesday morning in Middletown, New York.
Christopher Borek, the chief assistant district attorney of Orange County, confirmed to NBC Sports on Wednesday that the charge had been dropped.
Dippel, who was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR last week, was arrested and charged with the Class A misdemeanor Aug. 18 after being pulled over by New York State Police in his hometown of Wallkill. He was charged after a New York State Police officer found a bottle of prescription medication in a backpack that wasn’t prescribed to Dippel or his passenger.
Dippel, 19, said in his statement that at his court appearance, he “presented proof that the prescription was not mine and the person that the prescription belonged to accepted responsibility for leaving them in my vehicle.”
Borek confirmed his office received a sworn affidavit from the person the medications were prescribed claiming that the backpack had accidentally been left in the back of Dippel’s truck and Dippel had no knowledge it was there. Borek also confirmed that Dippel’s defense attorney provided a certified blood test showing Dippel had not taken the medication.
A NASCAR spokesperson confirmed to NBC Sports that Dippel has been reinstated.
On Tuesday, a New York State Police spokesperson confirmed a report by Fox Sports that Dippel had been pulled over for exceeding 80 mph in a 65 mph area. Dippel said in his statement he had been driving home from the Orange County Fair Speedway when “I was pulled-over for changing lanes without proper signal.”
Borek confirmed Dippel pled guilty to the charge of failure to stay in his lane and that covered the speeding charge. Dippel will have to pay a fine and points will be applied to his drivers license. Dippel’s attorney, James Monroe, told NBC Sports Dippel paid a fine of $150 plus a $93 surcharge.
The New York State Police spokesperson confirmed that when questioned by Troopers, Dippel and his passenger had conflicting stories about where they were traveling to and from after being stopped. Dippel consented to a vehicle search.
According to the New York State Police spokesperson, Troopers found a pill bottle of Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine in the backpack and that the bottle was prescribed to someone else.
“Because it was in my vehicle, I was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance,” Dippel said in his statement. “I contacted NASCAR within hours to inform them of the situation. Due to the NASCAR rule book and code of conduct, they ruled to suspend me indefinitely. I respect their decision.”
Continued Dippel: “I along with my team will work closely with NASCAR to hopefully be reinstated so I can be back in the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 Chevrolet. I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Due to his suspension, Dippel missed Sunday’s race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Young’s Motorsports replaced him with DJ Kennington, who finished 15th. The next Truck race is scheduled for Sept. 13 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
