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County attorney sends Goodyear cyclist case back to police for more investigation

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Tuesday she wants Goodyear police to further investigate the driver involved in a crash that killed two cyclists on Saturday.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Tuesday she's sending back a case against the driver involved in the Goodyear crash that killed two cyclists because she wants police to continue investigating. 

Police had detained 26-year-old Pedro Quintana-Lujan for his alleged involvement in the Saturday crash that killed two bicyclists and wounded several others. 

Police had initially recommended several charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault against the suspect.

But now the region's top prosecutors want police to conduct a full investigation before an indictment is sought against the driver.

“The deaths of the two cyclists and injuries suffered by others that morning is an unimaginable tragedy. The police need time to complete their investigation. It is critical before making any charging decision, and triggering legal time constraints, that a full investigation is completed and provided to prosecutors for review,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement.

The two deceased victims are 61-year-old Karen Malisa of Goodyear and 65-year-old David Kero of Michigan.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the victims. You can find a link to donate here.

According to a booking statement from police, Quintana-Lujan claimed that his steering had locked and his vehicle began drifting to the right. He allegedly released the gas when he heard a metallic sound and regained steering before turning left and stopping in the middle of the bridge.

Police said he struck the barrier wall on the bridge's side and traveled for roughly 520 feet before stopping. 

Quintana-Lujan allegedly didn't show signs of impairment immediately after the crash but reportedly told police he had shared marijuana with his wife around 11 hours before the fatal crash.

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