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GOODYEAR, Ariz. - A newly released report on a fatal crash involving a pickup truck and a group of cyclists last year near Phoenix casts doubt about the driver’s claim that the vehicle’s steering locked up.
The National Transportation Safety Board released a report on Wednesday on the Feb. 25, 2023, crash on a Goodyear bridge near Cotton Lane and MC 85. Two bicyclists died and 17 others were injured.
According to the report, the truck’s steering worked fine when the NTSB watched a technician drive the vehicle, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety also found nothing wrong with the steering.
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No issues with steering wheel in deadly Goodyear crash: NTSB
The truck driver — identified as Pedro Quintana-Lujan — initially was arrested on suspicion of 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.
Quintana-Lujan was later released after Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said he would not face felony charges. MCAO said Quintana-Lujan did not have alcohol in his system, was not speeding at the time of the crash, and was not driving distracted. The case was sent back to Goodyear Police, who concluded the crash appeared to be an accident.
It's unclear if Quintana-Lujan will be charged again in light of the NTSB report.
The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.
Pedro Quintana-Lujan