GOODYEAR, AZ — Two people are dead and 17 others are hurt after a truck crashed into a group of bicyclists in Goodyear Saturday morning.
Goodyear police say it happened on the Cotton Lane bridge near MC 85 around 8:15 a.m.
A woman died at the scene and a man later died at the hospital.
Police say the pickup truck that struck the group was towing a trailer and was driven by 26-year-old Pedro Quintana-Lujan.
According to police documents, investigators determined the truck entered the dedicated bike lane and hit the concrete barrier before striking several bicyclists.
“Bikes on scene were broken into pieces and clothing was littered throughout the scene,” police documents say. Clothing was also stuck to the truck’s undercarriage.
Police say three of the injured cyclists suffered “severe injuries” including bone fractures and organ lacerations. One remains in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.
Quintana-Lujan reportedly told police the crash occurred because his “steering was locked” but officials determined the “steering rack was intact.”
Officials are reportedly awaiting testing results to determine whether impairment was a factor in the crash. There were “clues present” but they have so far been unable to determine impairment.
Goodyear police have identified the two killed as 61-year-old Karen Malisa of Goodyear and 65-year-old David Kero of Michigan.
Quintana-Lujan was booked into jail on two counts of manslaughter, three counts of aggravated assault, 18 counts of endangerment, and two counts of causing serious injury or death by a moving violation.
Police say this does not appear to be a targeted attack, but the crash remains under investigation.
A Gofundme has been set up to help with the funeral costs of those killed and the medical funds of those hospitalized.