Harness Driver Indicted

Freehold Raceway’s top harness driver last year was indicted for fixing races in 1995, Attorney General Peter Verniero said.

Racing investigators claim Richard Wojcio, 36, of Freehold, conspired with other drivers before three races in which he had bet and that in two of them he helped others place second or third, once by holding back the horse he was driving.

Wojcio won 405 races at Freehold last year with earnings of $2.4 million.

Former stock-car racing great Richard Petty, who is running for North Carolina secretary of state, was charged with hit-and-run and reckless driving in connection with an accident in Cabarrus County last week.

State Highway Patrol officials said the accident occurred on Interstate 85 as Petty was trying to pass another car.