Update: West Seattle purse-theft suspect jumps off 99, survives

(Photo from witness on board Route 125 bus; man being treated blurred, except feet)
FIRST REPORT, 12:40 PM: Traffic alert too big to just add to the daily tracker – the bridge offramp to Northbound 99 is closed right now – and we’re just getting details: First we got a text from someone on board a bus who said they witnessed an incident involving a man who jumped onto a building roof. Here’s the transcript of the text:

Man involved in robbery took West Seattle Bridge and was transferring to the freeway downtown and hit a car, man proceeds to exit vehicle, jumped from bridge to building warehouse and then jumped to ground, injuring self in process, allowing police to capture, completely in view of everyone on my Route 125 bus headed downtown just now.

We called Seattle Police, whose Detective Renee Witt tells WSB: This started at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, where a woman said her ex-boyfriend had been following her and took her purse, then got into a vehicle and left. Officers were following him; he was speeding, wouldn’t yield, eventually stopped his vehicle on 99, took off running, jumped from the highway onto a building, then jumped to the railroad tracks. He has injuries including a suspected broken leg.

12:55 PM UPDATE: Northbound 99, and in turn the ramp from the WS Bridge, is reopening shortly, according to scanner traffic.

1:15 PM UPDATE: Talked to Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore, since SFD medics treated the suspect. He says the man, in his mid-30s, has multiple fractures – and wasn’t wearing a shirt. We’re adding a photo shared by our source from aboard the bus, but have blurred out the injured man, who was face-down on the ground – it was not a gory scene, though, and he was covered up.

9:57 PM: SPD Blotter published its version of the story tonight. Read it for yourself here; besides a few additional details about how it unfolded, the suspect’s background is of note – he is on our state’s version of probation:

The suspect is currently under active Department of Corrections supervision for Manslaughter, Robbery, and felony drug violations. A search warrant will be served on the suspect’s vehicle to recover additional evidence.

41 Replies to "Update: West Seattle purse-theft suspect jumps off 99, survives"

  • Danny January 11, 2013 (12:51 pm)

    Hardcore Parkour Fail

  • WSratsinacage January 11, 2013 (12:54 pm)

    No offense to anyone but lately, it’s like you can’t make this stuff up! Amazing what goes on in Seattle/West Seattle!

  • kayo January 11, 2013 (12:57 pm)

    Darwin Award nominee.

  • Ian January 11, 2013 (12:58 pm)

    Nice, Danny. I should have waited to read you comment until after class. Prof thought I had input to a discussion. Haha

  • Jason Petorak January 11, 2013 (1:05 pm)

    Once they put his leg in a cast, he’ll be able to ‘stand’ trial. Sorry, I couldn’t help it.

  • sscc student January 11, 2013 (1:05 pm)

    That was my text. To think I just needed to run an errand after class and end up watching one of the craziest incidents I have seen happen. Makes for an eventful Friday. Go Hawks!

    • WSB January 11, 2013 (1:11 pm)

      THANK YOU, SSCC student. Would have had no idea. When I called SPD’s media office, they apparently hadn’t heard yet because they had to scour through the current calls to find out what I was talking about – I’m sure they’ll turn it into an SPD Blotter post before long … thanks! Everybody keep our # handy … 206-293-6302, round the clock. – TR

  • Kravitz January 11, 2013 (1:21 pm)

    I’m glad this idiot hurt himself. Think of all the other people he could’ve hurt in the process of trying to get away. I’m sick of people like this in our community.

  • Wendell January 11, 2013 (1:27 pm)

    What is it with almost every piece of garbage that gets pinched. Don’t any of these clowns own shirts?

  • Alki Resident January 11, 2013 (1:40 pm)

    Great story, I wish all of these criminals would jump off of a bridge. This woman needs to get a protection order, this guy is nuts.

  • a January 11, 2013 (1:56 pm)

    Haha@Jason! This looks like an easy case for the prosecutor. I don’t think this guy has a leg to stand on. Go Hawks!!!

  • dsa January 11, 2013 (2:26 pm)

    They do it in movies.

  • panda January 11, 2013 (2:56 pm)

    He was obviously head over heals for that girl. Too bad the relationship fell apart. Now he has more than a broken heart.

    Hey, isn’t it a $500 fine for dumping trash off a bridge?

  • m January 11, 2013 (3:22 pm)

    He may have to take the fall for this one.

  • Woodsman January 11, 2013 (3:25 pm)

    Thinning of the heard! Seahawks by 12 points

    • WSB January 11, 2013 (3:29 pm)

      Hang on, Woodsman and company, we’ll have a Seahawks story in a little while. Still gathering info on who’s opening early for Gameday …

  • Lucian January 11, 2013 (3:52 pm)

    I like how the comments here quickly devolve, similar to how comments devolve elsewhere, only here they devolve into puns.

  • panda January 11, 2013 (4:08 pm)

    GO HAWKS!!!!

  • Ajax January 11, 2013 (4:31 pm)

    Seahawks Falcons
    Football birds fly
    Stupid stalker falls from sky

    GO HAWKS!!!

  • valvashon January 11, 2013 (4:32 pm)

    “He says the man, in his mid-30s, has multiple fractures – and wasn’t wearing a shirt.

    Watch COPS sometime. If you are a male who is not wearing a shirt, you’re going to get arrested.

  • WTF January 11, 2013 (5:18 pm)

    Self fulfilling prophecy. And, @Woodsman LMFatAO!

  • The Power of Yes January 11, 2013 (5:59 pm)

    Ouch. That will leave a mark. LOL

  • Rutan Biggie January 11, 2013 (6:41 pm)

    He jumped on an opportunity?

  • Woodsman January 11, 2013 (6:51 pm)

    Maybe the next time he jumps off anything he’ll have a pair of springy shoes on.

  • Noelle January 11, 2013 (6:54 pm)

    Dang! Who is that guy, a Dysfunctional-Super-Hero?

  • Baymo January 11, 2013 (7:35 pm)

    He is likely going to be suing the owner of the warehouse because the roof caused his fractures.

  • Silly Goose January 11, 2013 (8:30 pm)

    “Living on Reds, Vitamin C and Cocaine”

  • Chris January 11, 2013 (9:14 pm)

    An obviously disturbed man is severely injured during the commission of a crime and jokes are made of it. I would hope that we as a community can do better.

  • Jim P. January 11, 2013 (10:36 pm)

    “I would hope that we as a community can do better.”

    Why?

    You presume he is “disturbed”. We presume he is an idiot. My sympathy is for the woman he terrorized and seemingly robbed. That’s where I’d place my compassion.

    Apparently he has multiple convictions and is on parole. Sounds much more like just another sociopathic criminal to me.

  • E January 11, 2013 (10:38 pm)

    Lighten up Chris. It’s funny. The guy sounds like a total loser.

  • Eric1 January 11, 2013 (10:54 pm)

    I, for one, wish he wasn’t under DOC supervision out in public. He should be under DOC supervision behind bars. People complain about the high cost of incarceration but I know I just paid for his broken leg, car chase, and trail. It will be far more than what it costs to keep him locked up. I am guessing he wasn’t on his lunch break from his job that provided health insurance.

  • Noelle January 11, 2013 (11:16 pm)

    Jokes are made because sometimes one needs to see the lighter side of things. I am sad some poor woman was followed and her bag was taken. I am also sad someone with some sort of mental issues and/or Drug problem did not get the help he needed before hurting himself and putting others in danger. It is a Very sad story. That said, the guy acted like an idiot and one of the consequences inevitably is some public mockery. I do hope he will get the help he needs.

  • Shorewood Dude January 11, 2013 (11:18 pm)

    Thanks for clarifying that the photo was deliberately blurred, seemed odd to require a stretcher to transport just two feet. (Need new glasses)

  • john bocchetti January 11, 2013 (11:19 pm)

    Washington State has done an excellent job with their fetish in courts, cops and jails, just about everybody up there is either on probation or just getting out of jail.

    Welcome to the police state!

  • fauntleroy fairy January 12, 2013 (9:22 am)

    Confucius say – he who jumps off bridge needs wing suit!

  • Heidi January 12, 2013 (10:43 am)

    “Under active supervision for Manslaughter, etc, etc”. What does that mean? Do you know if the manslaughter was a long time ago such that he did a reasonable amount of time for this? If more recent, why was he simply on probation? Not sure if you have the details on this, but it certainly caught my attention.

  • tk January 12, 2013 (3:19 pm)

    pictures of suspect and victim PLEASE! FUNNY!

  • two sides to the story January 15, 2013 (9:33 am)

    Thats not his ex girlfriend its his wife and it wasnt no robbery, he wasnt following her they were together not by force either ,she left her purse in their car she should go to jail for lying im just saying people form there thoughts because of a back ground or what they read when one is lying its two sides to the story allow him to tells his.

  • Get it together January 15, 2013 (12:23 pm)

    You guys have no clue to what’s really going on. You guys are pre judging without knowing the whole story or even both sides at that matter.

  • The Pink one January 15, 2013 (1:18 pm)

    I understand you guys are reading about this and dont know him personally but what if this was your son or brother? Sometimes things happen that you dont want to happen, this was his wife and not just a girlfriend he was stalking, how did she get in the car????? There are two sides to every story, maybe people should know that before they start judging……..

Sorry, comment time is over.