El Tour crash that hurt 10 could go to county attorney
by David L. Teibel on Nov. 27, 2008, under Local, SpecialDriver reportedly responsible is 91
The El Tour de Tucson case could go to the Pima County Attorney’s Office as early as Friday to decide whether a 91-year-old motorist suspected of causing a pileup of cyclists should be charged, a sheriff’s lieutenant said Wednesday.
The crash in Saturday’s race involved a motorist who witnesses said turned in front of a pack of El Tour cyclists, which collided with the vehicle.
Detectives have not publicly identified the man, whom they call a person of interest in the case, Lt. Karl Woolridge said.
Attorney Michael J. Bloom and his client contacted sheriff’s detectives this week and turned over the man’s heavily damaged car, Woolridge said.
The car is believed to have been the one involved in the crash that sent five bicyclists to hospitals.
One cyclist – Gary L. Stuebe, 42, of Surprise – was transferred in critical condition to a Phoenix hospital. The other riders’ injuries were less serious, authorities said.
Though the person of interest met detectives, he answered no questions about the collision, Woolridge said. He said the man, neither charged nor cited, was allowed to go home.
Woolridge did not know of any medical condition that would affect the elderly man’s driving ability.
Bloom said little about the case Wednesday.
“We’re cooperating with the investigation and beyond that, because of the pending investigation, I don’t feel it would be appropriate to comment,” Bloom said.
Sheriff’s deputies said a driver failed to yield to a westbound pack of about 60 riders on West Ina Road, turning in front of them onto North Westward Look Drive.
Ten bicyclists, unable to stop in time, collided with the vehicle, deputies said.
Witnesses said the driver got out, looked at the damage to his car and the fallen bicyclists, got back in his vehicle and drove away.
