UPDATE: Suspect jailed after hit-run crash that damaged parked cars on 35th SW

img_5360

ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:39 PM: A driver is in custody on suspicion of hitting two parked cars on 35th SW between Roxbury and Barton. He was found after his damaged Mercedes (photo above) came to a stop on SW Trenton east of Fauntleroy. That scene was dispatched as a “car fire,” and we went there to check it out after hearing the siren while leaving the 34th District Democrats’ meeting nearby; while en route, we started getting reports about the hit-run crash, and learned at the car-fire scene that the two were related. We also talked by phone with a man who says he saw the hit-run happen and followed the driver while calling 911.

damagedcars

The Mercedes reportedly was at least partly on its rims, with blown-out tires, after hitting the cars (photo above) alongside northbound 35th; our photographer says one of its wheels is still at the scene (photo added below).

thewheel

Police said they are investigating this as a possible case of DUI.

UPDATE, 10:17 AM THURSDAY: We’ve confirmed via police and court records that the suspect was cited – which means, in Seattle Municipal Court, charged, and so we are identifying him. 33-year-old Jesse David Lindsey was booked into King County Jail after being cited for misdemeanor hit and run and DWI. Initial bail, $1,500. State records show no felony criminal history. Lindsey is due to be arraigned this morning so we’ll update when that information is in.

UPDATE, 12:29 PM THURSDAY: Municipal Court records indicate Lindsey has been charged with a third misdemeanor, another count of hit-and-run, which brings his bail to $2,000.

UPDATE, 3:17 PM THURSDAY: The jail register and court documents now show the bail is up to $10,000. Also, the suspect is a West Seattle resident.

40 Replies to "UPDATE: Suspect jailed after hit-run crash that damaged parked cars on 35th SW"

  • Arbor Heights Gal September 14, 2016 (10:12 pm)

    I heard this on 98th. It sounded like a car crashed right into the Fauntleroy Park greenbelt?! I can’t believe how far away the crash actually was.  

  • pupsarebest September 14, 2016 (10:19 pm)

    As with virtually every Seattle criminal apprehended,  he’ll be free to reoffend tomorrow.

    • WSB September 14, 2016 (10:23 pm)

      Well, whether or not that turns out to be true, we’ll be checking the jail roster and all the usual things. If he’s booked, he won’t likely show up there for a few hours.

      • pupsarebest September 14, 2016 (11:05 pm)

        Thank you, Tracy.

        Fairly certain my frustration is shared by many others in the community.

        (“tomorrow” was hyperbolic—should have said “within days”.)

    • Andy September 15, 2016 (5:02 am)

      There has gotten to be far too many hit and run incidents in the last few years. I’d like to see  our state legislature strengthen the penalty for hit and run and auto theft, too. I wish we could bring back chain- gangs! 

  • j September 14, 2016 (10:41 pm)

    to add to that. … There is zero reason to drive drunk. there is a thing called Uber and lyft now. geeze

  • Chuck September 14, 2016 (10:58 pm)

    I’ll take it. Caught is a start. Sorry the other cars were hurt, but not his. Expensive night of drinking. Assuming that’s his own car…

  • Duh September 14, 2016 (11:48 pm)

    @chuck…your assumptions allude it’s a male driver? @pupsarebest….do you realize how many people are drinking and driving as we read and write this? No city can house that many drunks. (And yes DUH I’m assuming it is drunk driving, what else?) Besides, they won’t let this sucker fish off the hook, this one has money. The only one’s they let off the hook to reoffend are the thieves with nothing to lose or garnish. 

    • KM September 15, 2016 (9:25 am)

      Driving a luxury car does not mean someone has money. 

  • Woodsman September 15, 2016 (12:18 am)

    Interesting! That section of roadway went on a road diet. So much for traffic calming! Everyday we hear about a DUI or hit- run. I’m ready to live in tree house just like Swiss family Robinson 

    • AMD September 15, 2016 (6:35 am)

      Are you actually saying you would rather have had the drunk driver on a road with narrower lanes, oncoming traffic immediately to one side with no turn lane buffer, and cars with people in them on the other rather than just parked cars?

      Really??

    • HelperMonkey September 15, 2016 (8:25 am)

      Really Woodsman? EVERY day? Hyperbolic much? I am sure WSB can fill you in on the actual numbers of DUIs and hit and runs on 35th. This had zero to do with the road diet and everything to do with DUI. Take your road diet nonsense somewhere else. 

      • WSB September 15, 2016 (8:33 am)

        And in fact … there were FOUR DUI suspects booked into KCJ late last night/early this morning and I don’t know yet which – if any – is from this case, for a variety of reasons, including an outage in SPD’s public data system (tweets by beat, map, Socrata) that means no access to the incident #, and the fact that the jail register only tells you the name and the type of case. So I am having to try to reach people by phone, no luck yet. Keep in mind that’s four on a Wednesday night and of course no telling how many DIDN’T get caught … but I need to say again, don’t know for sure that this did turn out to be DUI. Check back for updates!

  • TheKing September 15, 2016 (3:33 am)

    I guess at least now with the bar and walls of parked cars on 35th the drunks have a lesser chance of careening into houses. 

    • WSB September 15, 2016 (6:03 am)

      This was nowhere near the only “bar” that’s on 35th – which is at 35th/Kenyon – this was more than half a mile south. If you want business references, it was just north of the 35th/Roxbury strip mall with the smoke shop, pizza place, and former dispensary, where we parked so Patrick could walk over for photos and info. – TR

  • Beckyjo September 15, 2016 (3:54 am)

    @ DUH A driver is in custody on suspicion of hitting two parked cars on 35th SW between Roxbury and Barton. He was found after his damaged Mercedes. I Think that is why everyone who actually read the story thinks the driver is a male.


  • Arbor Hts mom September 15, 2016 (6:42 am)
    I’d love to know if there is more to this story. It went by in front of our house. There was a motorcycle, a truck and a Subaru all in pursuit. So much smoke and noise! 
  • Lindsey Hurd September 15, 2016 (7:36 am)

    Dang. Thanks to everyone who followed and called it in to make this guy isn’t getting away with it.

  • Heather September 15, 2016 (8:27 am)

    I saw the entire thing . It seems like he pulled out of the Rocksberry lanes . Driving erratically down 35th swerved and smashed into all the parked cars . He sat there for a minute then decided to cut out with sparks flying behind him. We followed the trail of antifreeze and smoke . He weaved through the neighborhood for probably about 2 miles driving on three wheels . It was definitely a male. I’m glad they caught him. He had to have been hurt. He was in a convertible Benz with the top down.

  • Evil Twin September 15, 2016 (9:00 am)

    Does this have anything to do with the Subaru that got smashed at 4:45 this morning on the West side of 35th South of Thistle? We were woken up by a huge boom and the sounds of flying debris and saw a smashed up Subaru but no other car. The police showed up shortly after.

    • WSB September 15, 2016 (10:13 am)

      No, the person in this case was in custody hours before then. I’ll be adding some information about him momentarily since we managed to confirm with police that our guess from the jail register was correct. – TR

  • Lady in a Leaf September 15, 2016 (9:31 am)

    I also saw this vehicle and driver. I was driving southbound on Fauntleroy approaching the dock when I saw the car round the turn at Wildwood Place. It was immediately evident one of the front wheels was missing. The under carriage was completely lit up with flying sparks and maybe flames. My window was partly down. I could hear metal screeching on the roadway as he flew past. There was smoke and a terrible smell like burnt steel, car fluids and maybe carbon, plastic panels. I could see it was a white male, a Mercedes and a convertible with the top down. I think I noticed he was wearing a tee shirt with some sort of graphic on it. I was stunned and looked around to see if anyone else noticed. I drove slowly past a bus stopped at the dock. A man was taking his bike off the front for the bus and said seemingly in the direction of the bus driver, ” Whoa! Did you see that?!”. I pulled over to dig for my phone and called 911. My 425 are code connected me to Kitsap County who then transferred me to Seattle. As I was speaking to the operator I made u turn to follow and see where he went. I drove past Lincoln Park and no longer saw fluids or scrapes on the roadway. I could also no longer smell the smoke so I determined he hadn’t gotten that far. I made a u turn again and basically tried to follow the smell of the smoke. I turned on Cloverdale and the smell was getting stronger. I turned right on to 46 th and saw the car on Trenton. It appeared to be partially in a ditch. It was still smoking and flames were coming out from under the right front panel. I could see and hear the fire engine approaching. I cannot be certain but I think the driver was standing next to the car. He looked like the person I saw behind the wheel and his shirt was familiar. I thought it had to be the driver because of his seemingly calm proximity to a burning car. I turned right on Trenton to get out of the area and a second engine arrived as I pulled away. I am grateful that he did not hurt anyone myself included. I don’t know how he maintained control of a vehicle in that condition especially as he rounded the corner on to Fauntleroy in my direction.   It was easy to instantly imagine  the driver was not in his right mind and could have been fleeing  a serious situation, armed or otherwise inviting danger into a densely populated residential area. I wish a speedy recovery to witnesses, callers, residents and anyone else who was caught in this moment and tried to make sense of it.

  • Chris September 15, 2016 (10:23 am)

    Not that it would have prevented this from occuring but I have noticed a real lack of any SPD presence along “I-35” both at night and during the day.   People zip around busses, other cars, follow too closely and it just gets worse.  Maybe with a few more patrols or police visibility, people would think twice or get caught before someone gets hurt.

  • momof3boys September 15, 2016 (10:51 am)

    @lady in a leaf  Just as a point of reference, it wasn’t your 425 area code that got you to Kitsap county, it’s that you hit off a cell tower across the sound.  It happens all the time in west seattle.  Your phone number has absolutely nothing to do with which 911 center you get to.  From your cell phone, it’s all about which tower your phone hits off of.   

    • Lady in a Leaf September 15, 2016 (11:25 am)

      That is good information. Thank you. 

  • WScommuter September 15, 2016 (11:10 am)

    Glad they caught the guy and no one hurt.  I’m amused by the typical ranting one sees here that focus on our supposedly lenient criminal justice system when WSB reports about various W. Seattle crime stories .  Stereotyping perhaps, but I’m betting I’m right that these comments are from folks who lean to the right and “want to be tough on crime.”

    .

    Cool.  I’m with you.  Of course you’re voting for more taxes to build more jails right?  Because King County Jail is busting at the seams.  And, of course, you’re voting to elect legislators to toughen laws, right?  Because prosecutors and judges can only do what the law permits.  DWI and Hit and Run are both gross misdemeanors.  Would you like them to be felonies?  Is that what you’re telling your elected reps?  I’m all ears.   

  • Lady in a Leaf September 15, 2016 (11:39 am)

    Dear Jesse David Lindsay, thank you for not killing or harming me or anyone else last night. I am glad you were not injured. I wish you a fair hearing. If sentenced, I pray it includes treatment and that you seize this opportunity to recover from your deeply wounded spirit. If you ignore this wake up call you will likely kill youself and or others next time. I am no one special but I am the mother of a little girl, a wife, a sister, a friend, an aunt, and a good neighbor in this community. I believe you would have regretted harming me or anyone else. You deserve help. You deserve happiness. Get treatment and please don’t do this again. Thank you.

    • WestSea September 15, 2016 (6:59 pm)

      Personally I hope they throw the book at him. People showed concern for him at the scene asking him if he was ok and his response was to drunkenly tear ass down one of our busiest streets in a car that was missing a wheel and half its front suspension. Considering his age, the fact that he was leaving the scuzziest casino in the area, driving drunk, running from the scene of a huge accident that he caused, I think it’s safe to say this guy doesn’t make good decisions and doesn’t care about hurting people. Your pity is admirable but should be saved for a worth while cause. Not potential murderers. 

      • WestSea September 15, 2016 (7:02 pm)

        From what the cops were saying, it’s not his first offense either, meaning he has done this before. This guy is not someone I want to share the road with or even be in the same neighborhood as. 

  • wsdude September 15, 2016 (2:16 pm)

    Turns out the driver was insured through Geico. The car he was driving is a black 1989–2002 Mercedes Benz SL500 convertable. If you have damages to report, you should call them. 

    • wsdude September 15, 2016 (2:46 pm)

      Plot twist: the car he was driving is not his. 

      • WSB September 15, 2016 (3:09 pm)

        I specifically asked SPD this morning if it was stolen and they said there was no indication of that on the call. Of course, that’s not the only way to be driving a car you don’t own, but … we did ask. Meanwhile, the bail has changed again, per the jail register … now up to $10,000.

  • candrewb September 15, 2016 (2:37 pm)

    Bet that’s one hell of a hangover this morning.

  • Kim September 15, 2016 (5:17 pm)

    Lady in a Leaf–

    Thank you.  Your messages had such clarity.  I hope Jesse hears you, and I hope if feels some contrition.  Glad you’re safe.

  • Kim September 15, 2016 (5:18 pm)

    “he”

  • At Least It's An Ethos... September 15, 2016 (9:33 pm)

    Rumor has it, the driver was sober.  The driver was actually just blinded by the new LED street lights on 35th.

    • WSDUDE September 15, 2016 (11:35 pm)

      Seems reeeeeeeeaaally unlikely given the fact that he did seem drunk and was also arrested for DUI meaning that the cops probably breathalyzed him. The report says he was driving under the influence. 

      • WSB September 15, 2016 (11:42 pm)

        Sorry, I think ALIAE was joking, and that’s why joking generally is not a good thing in comments on a serious story. Yes, Lindsey was charged with DWI and two counts of hit-run. And according to the alert I received, plus indications on the jail register, he has posted bond or is in the process of doing so. The Muni Court paperwork indicated alcohol monitoring would be required as well as posting bond.

      • At least it's an ethos September 16, 2016 (12:36 pm)

        Next time I’ll include a sarcasm tag.  Though those new lights are bright enough to light a baseball field.

  • Jason September 16, 2016 (12:34 pm)

    So, I actually just found out about this today because I am in vacation in New York, but my car is the green Prius in the photo. My boyfriend and his friend were actually hanging out on our porch and witnessed the whole thing. As others have mentioned, the driver had just left the bowling alley/casino down on Roxbury before tearing into the cars on 35th. My boyfriend approached him calmly to see if he was okay and quickly realised that the guy was absolutely wasted. Noticing that one of the front wheels had come off and thinking that there was no way the guy was going anywhere, my boyfriend stepped away to start taking pictures of the scene. As soon as he did, however, the driver, who is indeed a repeat offender, floored it and took off, sparks flying everywhere as the frame ground into the street.

Sorry, comment time is over.