Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is evaluating enforcement needs in the area following two fatal collisions on McDowell Mountain Road just over a week apart earlier this month.

A youth died following a crash on Saturday, Aug. 17, when the car in which he was a passenger went out of control and rolled over in the desert just north of the McDowell Mountain Regional Park entrance.

A man died after losing control of his motorcycle on a curve near Rio Verde on Thursday, Aug. 8.

There was a third collision on Aug. 26, when the driver of a pick-up rolled into the guardrail on the curve just east of the Fountain Hills Middle School. Deputies believe impairment was a condition in this incident. There were no injuries.

MCSO Capt. Larry Kratzer, commander for the Sheriff’s District 7 based in Fountain Hills, said both of the fatal incidents are being investigated by the Sheriff’s Vehicular Crimes Unit and no definite cause has been determined for either.

“Speed definitely may have been a factor in one, if not both of the incidents out there that resulted in a fatality so we will put some resources to slow people down,” Kratzer said. “We are adding increased speed enforcement on McDowell Mountain Road…and I am trying to coordinate getting a speed trailer out there to determine if there is a speed issue and if so, time of day and day of the week so we can hit those areas hard.”

The rider’s limited familiarity with the area may have been a factor in the motorcycle crash, according to Kratzer. He went off the road where there is a very tight curve to the alignment.

MCSO would remind anyone using McDowell Mountain Road, whether they are familiar or not, to slow down and be careful. There are a lot of dips and curves on the route and the speed limit is 45 miles per hour.