On Tuesday morning at approximately 9:30 a.m., the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office received several 911 phone calls regarding a traffic accident at the corner of Saguaro and Palisades Boulevard in the Fountain Hills community.
Karen Bonta, age 71, and her husband, Robert Bonta, age 72, both from Iowa, were walking northbound on the east sidewalk of Saguaro Blvd. at Palisades Blvd. where they stopped to cross Saguaro Blvd. Patti Doornbos, age 60, and her husband Ronald Doornbos, age 60, from Canada, were walking northbound on the east sidewalk of Saguaro Blvd. approaching Palisades Blvd. when they were struck by a 1998 gold Ford Explorer SUV. The SUV was being driven by 27 year old Alex Bashaw.
Bashaw was tested for impairment by a Drug Recognition Expert on scene and he showed no signs of impairment.
Karen and Patti were pronounced dead at the scene. Robert and Ronald were transported to a local hospital via ground ambulance, where Robert was pronounced dead. Ronald sustained a traumatic head injury that required multiple emergency surgeries and currently remains in ICU.
It appears the two couples did not know each other and were not together at the time of the collision.
The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.