BULLETIN: Suspect surrenders in car attack on Sealth students

(Wednesday photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
5:21 PM: Just in from Seattle Police: The 37-year-old woman they were seeking in connection with yesterday’s car attack on two Chief Sealth International High School students has turned herself in:

On November 29th at approximately 4:25 p.m. today, the female suspect, a 37-year-old woman, turned herself in to officers at the Seattle Police South Precinct. She was transported downtown to be interviewed by detectives.

That’s from SPD Blotter. As we reported earlier today, the 17-year-old girl is out of the hospital, the 18-year-old girl still in.

ADDED 6:12 PM: The suspect talked by phone with KING 5 before turning herself in; here’s their story.

ADDED 8:04 PM: SPD Blotter has updated to say, “She was transported downtown to be interviewed by detectives and subsequently booked into the King County Jail for Felony Assault.” We won’t publish her name until and unless she is charged, but public databases show her to be a Highland Park resident, and her record does not show any felony convictions.

46 Replies to "BULLETIN: Suspect surrenders in car attack on Sealth students"

  • Ron November 29, 2012 (6:51 pm)

    I find it funny that other news sources have referred to this as a “hit and run crash”, as if it were some sort of accident.

  • Amanda November 29, 2012 (7:06 pm)

    What a bizarre incident. It’s too bad that the resolution was using a car as a deadly weapon.

  • charlabob November 29, 2012 (7:27 pm)

    This is an outrage!

  • justwow November 29, 2012 (7:42 pm)

    Tom Leykis!

  • SJoy November 29, 2012 (7:46 pm)

    I’m glad she is in custody but I find it very sad. So many lives are hurt. No matter what really happened, it’s very sad.

  • L.A. November 29, 2012 (8:50 pm)

    Wow, an off leash dog apparently set the whole thing off. Come on people. Leash your frigging dogs.

  • A November 29, 2012 (8:56 pm)

    LA – that will never happen. All of the righteous dog owners will continue to do as they please.

  • chas redmond November 29, 2012 (9:01 pm)

    Actually sounds more like a self-centered individual started the whole thing – first by thinking her off-leash dog was okay and then by thinking this was the correct solution. I don’t think the dog actually had any role in this – the owner of the dog started this and seems to have concluded her selfish act accordingly. Anytime a person deliberately disobeys a law it’s basically a selfish, self-centered act – they assume the world revolves about them. I say this as someone who has actually been chased down by such a person in the past – in my case I managed to jump away from the car chasing me because I dared to cross a street in a crosswalk causing that person to have to stop their car.

  • Alki Resident November 29, 2012 (9:31 pm)

    This incident changed the entire lives of these two kids. They will never be the same. I can’t help but think if this woman had a gun,she would’ve used it. Also,waiting two days to turn herself in,makes me wonder if she was on something and needed to clean out her system first. I truly hope she is charged with attempted murder because she came too close to ending innocent lives.

  • MS November 29, 2012 (9:45 pm)

    “They made me do it!”
    Sounds to me like some people never mature and learn to be accountable for their actions.

  • Heather November 29, 2012 (10:16 pm)

    I agree with SJoy – the whole situation is sad. It’s entirely possible that the dog ran up to the girls, one if them defensively hit the dog – a “reaction” of someone afraid of dogs, maybe the dog being this womans only “family” she reacted aggressively, insults and nasty comments were exchanged and the woman lost it. It’s just awful. It’s very likely that she was putting her affairs in order before turning herself in. Remember that she has yet to be tried for this crime – none of us know what really happened.

  • Mike November 29, 2012 (11:13 pm)

    I think people need to put the pitchforks and torches away until the investigation is done. The lack of validity in posts and ‘facts’ for this situation is causing people to threaten others. This is NOT okay, it needs to stop.
    .
    From King5.com “She arranged to meet with KING 5 in the White Center neighborhood, but told her friend to keep driving once she saw the television cameras. On the phone, she said this has all been a nightmare and claimed she was provoked by the teenage girls. She said they surrounded her car and wouldn’t move. When she got out, she claimed one of them punched her in the nose.” http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Seattle-police–181448191.html
    .
    So, there’s a slight variation in events. Until the police finish the investigation, tone it down a notch on here.

    • WSB November 29, 2012 (11:29 pm)

      Thanks, Mike. We will likely get a better idea of the police’s version of the story tomorrow, when the so-called “superform” is made public after a bail hearing for the suspect. That’s what is presented to the bail hearing judge as “probable cause” and most of the time it includes the direct police-report narrative. Then it’s usually another day or two till the prosecutors decide whether to file charges.

  • Rodriguez November 29, 2012 (11:23 pm)

    I hope that there’s justice and compensation for the victims. There will be medical bills to cover. The adult shouldn’t get out of this easily. She hurt them intentionally, let’s not forget.

  • H November 29, 2012 (11:27 pm)

    I hope that everyone involved, including the bytsanders, can at least learn a lesson from this unfortunate incident. It is important to control your temper, think before you act and then take responsibility for your actions.

  • I. Ponder November 29, 2012 (11:31 pm)

    Heather, please get real. It’s also possible the woman was pre-occupied with the end of the world (Mayan Calendar). Sad? What does that mean? That you don’t want to be judgmental? None of us know what really happened? She used her car as a weapon. 2 people were hospitalized. One seriously. Wake up and smell the coffee. What would it take for you to be ‘mad’ instead of ‘sad’?

  • alki_me2 November 29, 2012 (11:40 pm)

    This is tragic and my heart goes out to the girls, their families and friends. I agree with Alki Resident who said this incident has changed these young womens’ lives forever. Healing thoughts and prayers for both of them from here in Alki.

    While I am relieved the taser-in-hand chasing, car accelerating to plow down teen girls hit-and-run driver is now in custody, arrested for Felony Assault, I find all of her reported (alledged) behavior really troubling.

    What kind of person does these things and thinks in any way it’s jusified?

    I was upset about this as soon as I’d read WSB’s coverage from yesterday. Now, having read what she said in her phone call with the TV station, I’m sickened. She says this has “all been a nightmare” for her. Wow…….

  • good November 29, 2012 (11:58 pm)

    From the coverage I have seen there were witnesses who saw the whole thing unfold so the truth will come out. The police got those witness statements at the accident and will ck them against her story. It’s a good reminder to watch engaging in volatile situations with people though. People are totally cracking all over the place and guns are often used. She has NO excuses though. It’s just a good convo to have with your teens – don’t engage, walk away.

  • WMF November 30, 2012 (4:31 am)

    Playing devils advocate… How many of you know the source that reports the fist fight, taser and run them over situation? Unless I’m wrong, not one person who’s been commenting here has witnessed the events. Again, correct me if I’m wrong, but a lot of the “details” are hearsay.

    In the end, what happened was wrong. It should have been handled better, if not differently, but don’t condemn anyone until you know something as fact.

  • JoB November 30, 2012 (6:10 am)

    i think we should reserve judgment until we hear the rest of the story.

  • Heather November 30, 2012 (7:10 am)

    Geez, I. Ponder. I was just pointing out that the facts aren’t clear and maybe public condemnation sb reserved as this person hasn’t yet been charged with a crime.

  • rico November 30, 2012 (7:36 am)

    The main fact and likely only crime committed is the woman driving into the kids. All the other details are somewhat irrelevant in my mind. I think it is OK to condemn someone based on that fact alone in this case – there is no valid excuse, period.

  • Tony November 30, 2012 (8:07 am)

    “All of the righteous dog owners will continue to do as they please”

    Really A?? wHole lots of righteousness in an otherwise uninformed comment.

  • shirley November 30, 2012 (8:29 am)

    There most certainly is more to this story. However, what exactly could provoke someone to say “that’s it, I am going to get in my car and run you over”? Sounds like this girl has issues making good decisions. I always tell my kids to think and make decisions carefully because in mose cases, there are no “go backs”. And in this case, now what?

  • cr November 30, 2012 (9:10 am)

    This society is so PC. People would rather victim blame, than blame the individual who perpetrated the crimes. This person ran over two high school kids with a car. There are no circumstances which make this ok, ever, at all, at any time. It doesn’t matter if they punched her 13 times in the nose (if it’s even true it happened once, which sounds sketchy at best), you don’t take the time to get into your car, drive to find them, then run them down.

  • long Camper November 30, 2012 (10:16 am)

    Control your dogs. Control your temper. It’s pretty simple really. Throw the book at this embarrassment to W. Seattle.

  • Concerned mom November 30, 2012 (10:22 am)

    Wonder if anyone got this on video with their smart phone. With all the eye witness accounts. I’m surprised it wasn’t caught on tape. Well maybe it was.

  • erico November 30, 2012 (11:03 am)

    “There are no circumstances which make this ok, ever, at all, at any time. It doesn’t matter if they punched her 13 times in the nose (if it’s even true it happened once, which sounds sketchy at best), you don’t take the time to get into your car, drive to find them, then run them down.’

    But the girls were mean to a dog…. (Thank god it wasn’t an octopus)

  • A November 30, 2012 (11:05 am)

    You must be a dog owner Tony. Leash your dog! I am sick of people letting their dogs run around off leash! Or as my neighbor did – the dog was leashed but no one was holding the leash so the large Rottweiler was running the neighborhood nearly attacking another dog and scaring people. If you can’t be a responsible dog owner then don’t have a dog!

  • H November 30, 2012 (11:41 am)

    Rico – when you say “the main fact” is that the woman intentionally hit these students, you are assuming to know the facts. Unless you were there, you don’t. If you lived near this school you would know that these kids mouth off to the neighbors, purposely stand in the way to make you drive around them, and also have no respect for laws… there is constant drug use, skipping school, littering, graffiti, starting fires, damaging neighbor’s cars and property, etc. These “kids” are 18 or close to it and should also behave like young adults. You can assume it’s the woman’s fault, I can assume the girls threatened her and purposely stood in the way as she tried to drive off, and all the student witnesses are on the side of their friends. Since neither of us were there, we can’t know or judge. I hope that justice, not prejudice on either side, prevails.
    And it’s obvious you are making multiple posts under different names because you repeated yourself almost verbatim with “13 punches”: rico, erico, cr, etc.

  • g November 30, 2012 (12:17 pm)

    WMF, To answer your question about the Taser, I was outside listening to interviews with some of the students at the scene of the crime. A boy named ‘Mohamed’ told an interviewer that he saw a ‘fight’ between the woman and girls over the dog, then the woman producing a Taser, then the vehicle assault in frighteningly graphic detail. He ran up to help the girls, and described their injuries in a way that is compatible with other reports. That’s my source on that.

  • Dick November 30, 2012 (12:17 pm)

    This situation is indeed terrible. But, the speculation and pontification in these comments are every bit as bad.

  • cr November 30, 2012 (12:28 pm)

    Thank you erico

  • g November 30, 2012 (1:13 pm)

    I just went outside and talked to some of the kids who witnessed the attack (I live right on 26th where it happened). Every eyewitness account I’ve heard supports the basic story we’ve been hearing on the news. A dog approached these kids and the owner was uncomfortable with the way one of the girls was handling her dog. One of the girls ‘accidentally’ struck the dog with the back of her hand, and in turn was struck by the woman. A fight ensued. A Taser was produced by the woman (one of the girls described the buzzing sound it made). Moments later the woman returned in her car, weaved around a group of students and accelerated into the two girls, sending them flying through air. The good news is that both girls are out of the hospital. One can’t walk, but she’s not paralyzed, according to her friend – just in a lot of pain.

  • H November 30, 2012 (1:33 pm)

    Rico – when you say “the main fact” is that the woman hit these students, you are assuming it was intentional as a fact. Unless you were there, you can’t know. You can assume it was the woman’s intent, or you can assume the girls purposely stood in the way as she tried to drive off. I hope that justice, not prejudice on either side, prevails and that all the witnesses gave unbiased accounts of what they saw.
    If you lived near this school you would know that these students who hang around outside curse at the neighbors, purposely stand in the road to make you drive around them, and have no respect for laws. Many of the neighbors are actually afraid of these students and the damage they cause on a weekly basis. I do not say “kids” like everyone else because many are 18 or close to it and should behave like young adults.
    People who were not involved cannot know or judge either side. If it was intentional, then she deserves to be punished accordingly. If it was not, then I hope those facts come to light and the response is appropriate. Both kids and adults are innocent until proven guilty.

  • g November 30, 2012 (2:25 pm)

    H,
    I didn’t say ‘main fact.’ I said ‘basic story.’ These kids have their story. The woman has her story, which we’ve heard bits of on the news. I’m just relaying what they are telling me. Most of these kids are very nice, in my experience. It’s not my experience that ‘hang around outside curse at the neighbors, purposely stand in the road to make you drive around them, and have no respect for laws.’ I see them every day and I’ve never personally seen this.

  • cr November 30, 2012 (2:27 pm)

    Don’t blame the victims H. It’s a bad look.

  • 26th Ave Resident November 30, 2012 (2:33 pm)

    cr-

    H isn’t blaming the victims. Try reading the whole post.

  • neighbor November 30, 2012 (2:50 pm)

    i hope that parents, teachers and the kids are being made aware of the tension that exists around this high school. apparently there are a lot more emotions and issues being brought up here than just the ones surrounding this particular incident. hopefully something can be done to improve the situation so that kids and neighbors are happier with and safer around each other.

  • cr November 30, 2012 (4:04 pm)

    26th.

    I read the whole thing. And there was a whole lotta generalization in that thing. Associating these two victims with other kids their age who choose to “hang around outside curse at the neighbors, purposely stand in the road to make you drive around them, and have no respect for laws. Many of the neighbors are actually afraid of these students and the damage they cause on a weekly basis.” By insinuating that these two were of the same ilk, and doing the same things is victim blaming.

    And the only differing story is the criminals. No one else matches up with her story. Hope she gets a nice long sentence for attempted vehicular homicide. It’s people like her we need off the street, not the kids.

  • erico November 30, 2012 (4:09 pm)

    H – Apparently a judge (ie an unbiased party) thought there was enough evidence of intent to justify a $250,000 bail. Also I hope you are not suggesting being cursed at is justification for assaulting someone with your vehicle.

  • 26th Ave Resident November 30, 2012 (5:09 pm)

    Cr-

    Fortunately for all of us, it’s a free country. So enjoy your opinion, it’s your right. Nobody posting here was physically THERE when this went down, so everyone, including you, are posting opinions.

    Do you personally know these girls? Do you know that they aren’t “of the same ilk”? I don’t know them so I personally can’t say.

  • Peeb November 30, 2012 (9:10 pm)

    1. This has nothing to do with unleashed dogs. Anyone who thinks it does is an idiot.
    2. You folks who are saying everyone needs to wait for the facts — what other facts do you possibly need? What would EVER make the suspect’s actions okay…?
    3. If you arrange to meet with KING 5, why would you be surprised that they showed up with television cameras…?

  • Mike November 30, 2012 (9:56 pm)

    Peeb
    .
    Regarding #2 and #3 of your comment
    .
    regarding #2) I live in the USA. Innocent until proven guilty. If you wish to live in a country that has laws that oppose that, feel free to move to Russia, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, or any of the other countries where you can be put in jail for life without every having a court date. Is this lady in the wrong, probably, but until she’s proven guilty by a court of law in front of her peers, sorry… can’t just say she’s guilty of all charges.
    .
    regarding #3) She states that she made an agreement with them to only shoot video from the neck down. When they throw cameras in her face, that’s against the agreement. Can’t say I blame her for that. I think it’s dumb she’d try to talk to the news first though. Get a lawyer, have the lawyer mediate with the press if they decide to.

  • concerned mom December 1, 2012 (7:36 pm)

    Cr,
    do you know the two victims? You are making a generalization that they are not the very girls who threaten & cause trouble for the neighbors. I did not read H’s post as blaming them. I read H’s comment as reasonable and fair. Contending that there are two sides to every story. So the police report suggest that the suspect intentionally ran into the two girls. But the whole story is still not out. That is why our justice system gives everyone the day in court. I know many kids who go to this school, and although nobody deserves vehicular assault, it is common knowledge that there is more to the story. THis lady may very well be charged and convicted and I am shocked and concerned about the events that led up to this terrible situation. And rightfully concerned about future problems with the kids hanging out there. Of course not all of them!

Sorry, comment time is over.