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Pima County Public Defender Robert Hooker was killed Tuesday when a street-racing pickup truck went out of control and struck his vehicle in northern Downtown, police said.

Police say that 65-year-old Hooker, along with a woman in another vehicle who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, were innocent bystanders in the crash, which occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m.

Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a Tucson Police Department spokesman, gave the following account of the three-vehicle collision that occurred on North Main Avenue near West Davis Street — north of St. Mary's Road.

Witnesses said a red Chevrolet pickup was racing a silver Nissan Altima southbound on Main when the 18-year-old driver of the truck lost control.

He drove over railroad tracks and may have gone airborne for a short period of time before making his way into oncoming traffic and slamming into a county-owned silver 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer being driven northbound by Hooker, a former Superior Court judge.

The truck spun and then crashed into a maroon Acura sport utility vehicle, which also was headed north. The Acura was driven by a woman.

The driver of the Nissan fled from the scene.

A Tucson police captain came across the collision and tried to come to Hooker's aid, but he already was dead, Pacheco said.

The driver of the truck was taken to a hospital in critical condition, he said. The woman in the Acura also was taken to a hospital. She suffered injuries that were considered non-life-threatening.

Police traffic detectives were on scene late Tuesday.

No charges had been filed, but police said that speed was a factor.

No passengers were in any of the vehicles involved in the crash, Pacheco said.

Residents were dismayed by the idea that anyone could be illegally racing in the street in that area during rush hour, as traffic was highly congested.

Hooker took over the Public Defender's Office in January 2005.

The office provides legal defense services to those who cannot afford a private attorney and who are charged with felony and juvenile offenses in Pima County.

Before joining the Public Defender's Office, Hooker was a longtime criminal-defense lawyer.

He also was a Pima County Superior Court judge from 1980 to 1983, according to Arizona Daily Star archives.

"This is a great loss to indigent defense in Pima County," Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall said.

"He was responsible for an increased and better level of professionalism in the Public Defender's Office that showed up in lots of different ways," LaWall said. "It showed up in the way his deputies dress and appear in court. It showed up in their conduct and demeanor in the courtroom and in the way they handle their cases."

Hooker also took a special interest in mentally ill defendants, LaWall said. He wanted to make sure mentally ill defendants got the treatment they needed.

Together, LaWall said, she and Hooker worked on making the court system more efficient.

"The bottom line is he demonstrated a real passion and concern for his work," LaWall said.

David Berkman, Pima County's chief criminal deputy county attorney, said he was told of Hooker's death by LaWall.

"We were adversaries, but I respected him," Berkman said. "He stood up for the rights of defendants, as he should. Our interactions were always about making the criminal justice system a better-functioning operation."

Hooker's former law partner, Larry Hecker, who has a law office just a few blocks from the accident scene, said Hooker was "one of the most passionate and principled lawyers I've ever had the opportunity to work with."

Hooker and Hecker were partners for more than six years after Hooker left the Superior Court bench.

Assistant Public Defender Paul Skitzki was hired by Hooker after being fired by LaWall, who contended that he failed to tell her and police details about a 2004 homicide involving a Tucson children's eye doctor.

"I will always owe him a debt of gratitude. He hired me during an extremely difficult time. He reached out and helped me out, just like he tried to help indigent individuals who were charged with crimes," Skitzki said.

"He will be sorely missed by a number of people."