Alex John Bashaw, the man charged in the deaths of four pedestrians who were struck by his vehicle on the sidewalk next to Fountain Park in March 2018, has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in each of the four counts against him.

Bashaw had been charged with four counts of manslaughter (reckless), a class 2 felony in the case. A plea deal between prosecutors and Bashaw was reached April 26, in which the charges were reduced to four counts of negligent homicide, a class 4 felony.

Sentencing in the case has been set for Friday, June 14.

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.

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

According to investigators, 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.

Those violations 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. Investigators said 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.