West Seattle Crime Watch: Driver smashes stolen car into Constellation Park railing, runs

Close call in the Constellation Park area south of Alki Point this evening after a driver smashed this car up onto the sidewalk and into the railing. Shiy shared photos via the WSB Facebook page, saying the driver spun out and almost hit a stroller, then ran away. Southwest Precinct Lt. Paul Leung confirms it was a hit-and-run, adding that the car turned out to have been stolen, and that police believe there’s a “good possibility that the driver got picked up by another stolen vehicle.” Shiy said the driver appeared to be intoxicated – and shared this photo showing a beer carton in the car:

The 911 log says this happened around quarter till seven.

ADDED 10:30 PM: The photo above this line was shared by Larry – gives additional perspective about where this happened.

drahcir61 May 7, 2014 (10:27 pm)

Why not support surveillance cams? The crooks & morons are driving by your house daily. Video is evidence.

cbof May 7, 2014 (10:42 pm)

I was running by there just after this happened: saw officers on foot a few blocks away. Do we know any more about the “possibly being picked up by another stolen vehicle?”

Chris B May 7, 2014 (11:51 pm)

Great! So happy that I’m moving there in a month

Steve May 8, 2014 (7:15 am)

No worries, Chris. It’s the quietest neighborhood in town…at least south of Admiral anyway.

David May 8, 2014 (7:38 am)

Yeah, the fact that it’s such shocking news is BECAUSE this never happens.

But you know, there are video cameras down there on the water front. But the “gov’ment is out to get me” paranoid crowd won’t LET the police turn them on. The police can watch you from horseback, bicycle, Segway, on foot, from car dashboard cams, etc…but we won’t let them turn on the cameras to catch crime/issues that come up when no cop is present at the exact moment. I don’t know why. You have no expectation of privacy OUTSIDE…everyone can see you, video you, take pictures of you. Everyone, but the police. So when someone commits a crime like this and just simply runs away and gets away and we ask “why didn’t we see who it was”…well, because we don’t allow the police to turn on those cameras.

ScubaFrog May 8, 2014 (9:05 am)

Those cameras are pointed towards the waterway, David (that was to be their role anyhow before they were nixed). They wouldn’t have seen anything, if they were on.

We have a huge problem with auto theft here – why no special task force? Why no ‘bait cars’? I think Seattle-Tacoma ranks 4 in the nation for the highest auto theft rate in the nation.

Garden_nymph May 8, 2014 (9:09 am)

Thank you for saying that David; I completely agree! The DOT has full time cameras, as do banks, but if the POLICE want to install cameras, all HECK breaks loose and the whining begins. Silly, with all the pics and videos people are taking all the time anyway… Some Seattle residents want to complain about the SPD and will do everything they can to interfere in their being effectual! We either want protection or we don’t. Just be clear about the decision and the ramifications of those decisions.

wetone May 8, 2014 (9:53 am)

Cameras have nothing to do with this. It’s the legal system that is broke. It does nothing to stop or prevent people that commit these types of crimes and many others. Until the legal system in Seattle and this state start holding people responsible for their actions it will continually get worse. The only thing to stop crimes is prosecute criminals and lock them up. Don’t want to go to jail don’t commit a crime that’s what they understand. But that don’t happen here and they know it. Heck this city even hired a judge recently that was involved it criminal behavior or as they say unethical, what’s that say about our court system. Our tax dollars at work.

Garden_nymph May 8, 2014 (10:41 am)

@scubafrog, Have you attended a meeting at the SW Precinct yet? I urge you to become a voice of change instead of continued complaint.

WSB May 8, 2014 (10:49 am)

Next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, since GN mentions it, is May 20th. I will be mentioning this in the tag of most crime stories soon, as I usually do when the meeting’s less than two weeks away. Pretty sure we’ll hear from precinct leadership about their summer plan for Alki, Roxhill, Lincoln Park, elsewhere.

DJL311 May 8, 2014 (12:12 pm)

I don’t have time to attend community meetings and can’t attend the next one because we’ll be honoring scholar athletes at a dinner. I’m truly too busy running a high school. Please don’t judge people for not becoming “a voice of change by not attending meetings”. It’s not for lack of information. SPD knows where things are happening. Heaven knows I have been telling them for a very long time and they have it on call logs.

For being “that person” I have had my car tagged and my home broken into while I went on a run. They have left bottle caps on my porch to show me they can sit there whenever they want. My car has been sidesiped parked on Beach Drive as well. I have reported them all.

The SPD knows what happens on sunny nights on Alki and Beach drive. They have chosen to park in a show of force on Alki, which is all well and good, but the kids know they can go over to the stretch between the water treatment plant and 63rd and do what they want. They then head back over to Alki for another loop.

The SPD also know they are drinking down there because we call it in. The last time I called it in, they showed up, asked them if they are drinking, and then left. Hmmmm … if I’m a teenager, what am I going to say if a police officer pulls up and asks me if I’ve been drinking? I should have a base expectation that I can expect them to believe a community member call in and not treat it so disrespectfully by such a lame contact.

Yes I’m frustrated. Imagine that. I’ve been called every name in the book in their attempts to intimidate. It’s ridiculous.

Danity Houser May 8, 2014 (12:42 pm)

THANK YOU garden nymph! So many people complain here and on all websites about issues, but never do anything productive.

The problem with the internet is everyone writes their comment and thinks they’ve done their part. NO, YOU HAVEN’T. If you have an opinion on something and want to see change, talk face to face with someone who can make that happen or work with you to make it happen.

Leaving comments here, you might as well be talking to yourself on your porch as neighbors walk by. They can certainly hear you, but they could care less. Less talking, more doing.

Dubya May 8, 2014 (1:24 pm)

Had I known it was stolen.. I couldve probly got the person caught.. Cause his friends were in a white honda civic just down the road by the light house. I rode past them and asked if that was their friend and they said yes. All were Asian inside the car.

ScubaFrog May 8, 2014 (3:00 pm)

Garden_nymph it’s unfortunate that you think one’s voice of concern – is a ‘voice of continued complaint’. I hope that you and Danity Houser will let others comment without requesting our voices be censored by WSB – or without resorting to insults.
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My main priority is to work with law enforcement (and I do, as much as I can as a tax-paying, non-police-employed citizen).
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In my experience, you can get more done by talking to the Mayor, the Chief and his direct subordinates, and our political representatives and his direct subordinates – than by attending community meetings. If you’d ever like to speak with Chief Bailey or Mayor Murray, their contact info is easy to find (and you’ll be surprised at how eager they are to talk to the public).

Bradley May 8, 2014 (3:15 pm)

It’s highly probable that the person who crashed into the guardrail has prior arrests and convictions for DUI. Probably for grand theft auto, too. Had the SPD caught this guy/gal, he or she would probably be out of jail at this very moment. Our royal treatment of DUI drivers and car thieves in this state is pretty pathetic. I’m just glad no one was hit and killed/injured.

Garden_nymph May 8, 2014 (4:04 pm)

ScubaFrog, the SPD is currently under Department of Justice oversight. Speaking to an Interim Chief of Police won’t get much done. Speaking to the Mayor, may bring his attention to topics he was unaware of, but he already has higher aspirations than his quick term as our Mayor. SPD changes are in the works, they are mandated by the Federal government, yet stifled by our own City Council. SPD has approximately 1300 sworn officers. Under DOJ mandate, they all need to be retrained. Retraining takes time and money. In our current social climate, when every move made by the SPD is held under great scrutiny, our police are being extra careful NOT to UPSET anyone. In effect, the chorus of unhappy citizens and the Seattle City Council has created an ineffectual police force who are more focused on not offending anyone, than the job they originally took an oath to do.

Thank you for getting involved ScubaFrog.

DJL311 May 8, 2014 (5:16 pm)

Please rest assured that while I commented on here, there are also other things being done. I am curious about the “Social Climate” that is stopping police officers from dealing with the massive drinking and driving issue on Beach Drive and Alki? If we don’t get more proactive someone is going to get hurt. A row of police cars along Alki seems pretty ineffective to me. It would seem like if they spread out, folks would be a little more careful about the alcohol consumption. People drinking and driving is never all right but teenagers racing cars after drinking is deadly.

DJL311 May 8, 2014 (5:20 pm)

May I say that I’m not unhappy it’s raining today and the yahoo’s stay away?

goodGuys4600 May 8, 2014 (6:15 pm)

I think it’s a shame how people can’t just enjoy a nice sunny day without all the drinking and craziness

Bradley May 8, 2014 (7:13 pm)

Garden_nymph is right. Some officers in the SPD are in sort of a de-facto “de-policing” mode these days due to their disdain and distrust of the DOJ fiasco. The DOJ review is considered by many in the SPD as a slap in the face and a morale-buster. I don’t blame the SPD officers who feel that way because they, as a whole, do a very good job under very stressful and challenging circumstances and the thanks they get are few and far between.

DJL311 May 9, 2014 (6:42 am)

The DOJ review is not an excuse not to do their job. I get being demoralized. I work in public education administration. We get “slapped in the face” all the time. We don’t get the luxury of not serving your children. Police need to do their job which is to protect and serve. They know that there are those in their midst that are the reason for the DOJ investigation. Get over it and show what the rest of the fabulous officers can do.

Garden_nymph May 9, 2014 (10:30 am)

DJL311, there is a big difference between being demoralized and being asked to stand down. New policies, mandated by DOJ, regarding Use of Force are in place to remove the perception of bias policing. The new protocol limits the police by advising them to stop a suspect only if they witnessed the crime in progress… Fewer stops, fewer tickets, fewer arrests, more crime. Check to see how many shootings have occured in 2014 compared to last year! As citizens of Seattle, we need to decide if we are willing to pay more for a better Police force. Change is rarely free; SPD is metamorphosing and it will take money. Ammunition prices have risen, training has been mandated, it all adds up. Seattle City Council requires the SPD to beg for everything they need to do their jobs. It’s a broken system! If new Seattle City Council memember Kshama Sawant wants to blame the SPD for the violence at May Day events of the past, one would think she would be willing to ensure they get the retraining that DOJ has required of them.
DJL311, please remember that those students have rights also. SPD is working hard to remove the perception that is it a band of bullies. As you mentioned, there are many fabulous officers in the SPD! I urge you to be “proactive” and talk to the students in your high school about the dangers of drinking and driving. Heck, let’s get their parents involved too! Personal accountability has all but disappeared. Let’s bring it back…

drahcir61 May 9, 2014 (1:24 pm)

If they’re going to steal our cars & drive around, can we at least get them into a drivers’ ed class so they can keep it between the lines?
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(that was made in jest, don’t get all worked up over it!)

yes2ws May 9, 2014 (6:12 pm)

DJL311 “The SPD knows what happens on sunny nights on Alki and Beach drive. They have chosen to park in a show of force on Alki, which is all well and good, but the kids know they can go over to the stretch between the water treatment plant and 63rd and do what they want.”

If parking in a show of force is working along Alki, why not expand it further down to the problem areas? I’m with DJ on this. Even a Single patrol car presence would certainly have altered my behavior back in high school.

Drahcir.. lol.. your comment reminded me of a friend’s post on FB the other day. “Parking. It’s really not that difficult. There are two yellow lines and the car goes in the middle.”