Goodyear driver in drinking, smoking videos night before bicycle tragedy

The 2023 driver who plowed through a cycling group in Goodyear, killing two and injuring 17, reportedly drank shots, smoked marijuana and had unrecommended amounts of sleep the night before he drove, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report recently published.

In that report, a forensic summary of the driver's cellphone device reveals several events of interest tied to the night prior to the incident. First, at 2:27 p.m. the driver, Pedro Quintana-Lujan, reportedly took a video of “several Jeeter XL infused tubes” prerolled marijuana joints and a bag of "mint Cannabis.”

According to Jeeter’s website, an infused tube contains marijuana flower infused with cannabis oil and is coated in kief resin.

“Averaging over 35% THC and available in multiple strains & sizes, this is the one Joint that will get you to Mars quicker than Elon Musk,” Jeeter states.

Both cannabis oil and kief are considered marijuana “concentrates,” which have abnormally high amounts of THC in them. In some states, like California, some possession and distribution of concentrate is illegal.

Next, at 9:50 p.m., a video is taken of a waitress bringing shots to Quintana-Lujan’s table. Shortly after, at 9:55 p.m., another video shows Quintana-Lujan drinking shots. Over an hour later, at 10:59 p.m., yet another video reportedly shows Quintana-Lujan smoking a “cigar consistent with Jeeter XL” while he was operating his vehicle.

Six hours later, at 5:15 a.m. Quintana-Lujan, would begin his day by leaving “the area around East South Mountain Ave.”

According to the CDC, workers are recommended to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep.

Crossfading and greening out

Quintana-Lujan told police he shared a marijuana cigarette the night before.

According to research, mixing alcohol and marijuana can increase the absorption of higher amounts of THC and can cause special panic attacks called greening out.

A green out is a cannabis-induced physiological or psychological panic attack, according to University of Minnesota Health Services.

“Symptoms include sweating, nausea, heart palpitations, hypervigilance, paranoia, and the fear or feeling that you might be dying or about to die,” the university states.

A 2020 study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience suggests attacks occur because cannabinoid receptors in the brain become flooded with THC, causing a system overload and a toxicity effect.

“The use of psychostimulants and alcohol is known to affect the central nervous system and is implicated in various neurological disorders through neurotoxicity that partly results from increased blood-brain barrier permeability,” reads the study.

The researchers also suggest that since marijuana prevents vomiting and alcohol sickness, it can lead to excessive consumption.

The Goodyear Independent reached out to the county attorney’s office to receive the amount of THC retrieved from Quintana-Lujan’s blood when tested. According to the office, Quintana-Lujan had 7.5 nanograms (per milliliter) of THC in his blood.

In Colorado, the first state to legalize, it’s prosecutable at 5 nanograms but not mandatory. Quintana-Lujan had 50% more THC in his blood than the highest threshold states. His sample was drawn five hours after the incident.

Misdemeanor

According to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation, the driver, Pedro Quintana-Lujan, approached the group from behind, departed his lane of travel, and crossed over both the right southbound lane and the shoulder before striking the Cotton Lane bridge railing.

Following the impact, the pickup truck veered back to the left, struck the 19 bicyclists, re-crossed over both southbound travel lanes, and then stopped in the center median.

“Whether Pedro was impaired by the 7.5 ng of THC in his system or not, his actions were not those of any rational person,” said bicycle victim Mike Smith.

Quintana-Lujan never hit his horn, never hit his brakes, or swerved for over 450 feet, according to the Goodyear police report. However, when he stopped, Smith said he did do something notable.

“According to the police report he got out and rather than go back and render aid or call 911 he walked to the front of his truck and took a 30-second video and sent it to a couple of people,” he said. “So, if he was not impaired, all the more reason he should have taken some type of evasive action. There needs to be accountability other than a misdemeanor slap on the wrist.”

The County Attorney deferred the criminal case to the city of Goodyear in November after telling the victims that the office would not proceed with a felony prosecution, due to the ambiguity of THC DUI laws in Arizona.

The video Quintana-Lujan took was received as a public record by the Goodyear Independent and is viewable on the Goodyear Independent website.