Maricopa County Sheriff’s investigators say Alex Bashaw was traveling 53 miles per hour before he went off Saguaro Boulevard and between 40 and 43 miles per hour when he struck the first of two pedestrian couples killed in the collision earlier this year.

Bashaw was arrested on a grand jury warrant in Ohio where he had moved after the accident that occurred on March 13 in Fountain Hills.

Bashaw was driving a 1998 Ford Explorer traveling north on Saguaro Boulevard shortly after 9 a.m. when he drove out of traffic lanes and onto the sidewalk and back onto the crosswalk striking four pedestrians who were walking on the sidewalk and in the crosswalk. His vehicle came to a stop facing south in the northbound median lane.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has released additional details of the investigation and charges facing Bashaw.

Detectives say a total of five traffic violations reflect the recklessness of Bashaw’s actions that contributed to the deaths of the four pedestrians. That convinced a grand jury to bring manslaughter charges.

The report states that Bashaw was traveling north on Saguaro Boulevard at 53 miles per hour where the speed limit adjacent to Fountain Park is 35 miles per hour. He was allegedly traveling between 40 and 43 miles per hour when he struck Patti and Ronald Doornbos, of Calgary, Canada, walking on the sidewalk about 40 feet south of the intersection. Bashaw told investigators he believed he was traveling 33 to 35 miles per hour.

Investigators say Bashaw failed to negotiate a slight curve behind traffic stopped for the red light, went across the six-foot bicycle lane and onto the sidewalk. He told deputies he pulled left in an attempt to avoid the Doornbos couple on the sidewalk. After striking them his vehicle went into the crosswalk against the red light where Karen and Robert Bonta of Iowa were struck.

Patti Doornbos and Karen Bonta died at the scene. Robert Bonta died at the hospital later in the day. Ronald Doornbos died June 12 after he was transferred home to Canada.

Bashaw was found to have a history of drug use, according to MCSO; however, he was examined at the scene by drug recognition expert, Deputy Geoffrey Hossack, and determined to be unimpaired at the time of the collision.

Bashaw told deputies he did look down while driving, however, he said he did not know why he drove off the roadway.

Bashaw said after his vehicle came to rest he jumped out of the vehicle and began performing CPR on one of the injured women. He said he continued until he was directed by Fire Department personnel to assist with one of the male patients and continued that until directed to stop by emergency personnel. A witness confirmed to The Times at the time of the accident that the driver did get out of his vehicle and began CPR.

Investigators also looked into the possibility of distracted driving related to cell phone use or texting. Bashaw stated he was not using his phone at the time of the accident and added that his phone was in a cradle where he could use it hands free.

However, using video from a nearby office building, the timing of 911 calls and Bashaw’s phone, investigators determined he was on the phone until just seconds of striking the first pedestrians.

The first 911 call was received at 9:13:07 a.m. The video shows the first impact at 9:12:45 a.m. The video also shows that the traffic signal had been red for northbound traffic for approximately 12 seconds prior to the collision.

A search warrant was obtained for Bashaw’s cell phone data. That information indicates that he received a call at 9:11:46 a.m. which lasted 55 seconds, or 9:12:41, just four seconds before the video recorded the collision with the Doornbos couple.

Investigators determined Bashaw’s behavior was reckless based on five traffic related violations. Those include:

*Speed not reasonable and prudent with evidence showing he was traveling 18 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.

*Driving on the roadway and failure to stay within the traffic lane without determining movement would be safe. He clearly crossed a six foot bicycle lane according to deputies.

*Driving on the sidewalk where two pedestrians were struck and killed.

*Failure to stop for a red traffic signal, and pedestrian right-of-way in the crosswalk. The light had been red for at least 11 seconds before Bashaw’s vehicle entered the intersection; and pedestrian right of way in the crosswalk, where the other two pedestrians were legally crossing the street when they were hit.

Investigators presented this evidence to a grand jury which found reason to indict Bashaw on four counts of manslaughter. He was taken into custody by local law enforcement in Ohio without incident.