Family devastated after car flies 100 feet, crashes into Goodyear lake, killing wife

GOODYEAR, AZ (AZFamily) — Family members are expressing their sorrow after a wife was killed when her husband was allegedly speeding and drunk and crashed into a Goodyear lake on Friday night.

They told Arizona’s Family that 35-year-old wife Megan Maiorana was a loyal friend and loved living in Arizona, her English background and being the middle sister in the family.

She had been married for nine years to 35-year-old Anthony Joseph Maiorana, who police said was driving drunk on Friday night.

Police said the couple was in a 55 and older community near Estrella Parkway and Willis Road, south of the Estrella Mountain Ranch neighborhood, that night for a party.

Police said Anthony was on Canta Mia Parkway near Tanglewood Drive when he approached a slight curve but didn’t turn.

Court paperwork said he struck the curb multiple times before going over the curb and sliding across the sidewalk and grass. While the car was “sliding and rotating,” he hit a reinforced concrete culvert on the front passenger side, causing the car to fly about 100 feet before slamming into the lake, police said.

The car sank, but police said Anthony made it out safely. The 911 caller said they heard a person screaming.

Police said officers found Anthony lying face down in the grass near the lake, soaking wet and screaming.

Anthony admitted multiple times he was driving and his wife was still in the car, officers said.

Court records said multiple witnesses and officers tried to get Megan, who was still buckled in, out of the car but were unsuccessful.

A dive team was called out and recovered Megan’s body.

According to court paperwork, Anthony had bloodshot eyes and stumbled while getting on a gurney before being driven to the hospital. Police said he admitted to drinking two beers.

A blood test at the hospital showed his BAC was 0.234, nearly triple the legal limit, police said.

It’s unclear how fast Anthony was going before the crash. The speed limit in the area was 25 mph.

“This is a really tragic scene and I hate to call it an accident. Because an accident, that term, indicates that it’s not preventable and we all know that when you get behind the wheel of a car and you’re impaired, you make a decision,” Lisa Berry with the Goodyear Police Department said.

Once Anthony was released from the hospital, he was booked into jail on one felony count of manslaughter, five DUI misdemeanor charges, including extreme DUI and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.

His bail was set at $150,000.

During his first court appearance before a judge, Anthony’s attorney said he’s bipolar and takes a variety of medications.

Megan’s family said Megan and Anthony were happily married, and she thought the world of her husband.

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