West Seattle, Washington
04 Friday
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:12 AM: Good morning! Looking ahead as we start the week:
*Road work on Alki Avenue in the Duwamish Head vicinity the next two days; we’ll be asking SDOT for details this morning.
*Next weekend, Friday night 6/6 until Monday morning 6/9, southbound 99 will be closed between the Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge, as explained here; the lane-reconfiguration project’s results are shown here (along with the results of a similar northbound closure two weeks later).
*Next Saturday is the start date for Metro’s next service change, detailed here. The only West Seattle route with changes is the 21, with a route change for several afternoon runs.
DOWNTOWN ALERT FOR TODAY & BEYOND: Could be some traffic trouble on the north side of downtown (and in the Uptown/lower Queen Anne area) as people get used to major changes that took effect as of last night – two-way Mercer, two-way Roy, closed section of Broad; SDOT explains here; here’s what WSDOT has to say.
6:48 AM: Reader report: Crash at Holden/Delridge. Not on the 911 log so likely not major.
Beautiful weekend for baseball – including the game that crowd came to watch at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point on Saturday afternoon. Not your standard baseball game, though:
The reason for the sign? The game was “beep baseball” – designed so sight-impaired players can hear the ball:
That’s the ball, which really does beep, and is 16 inches around. Listen to hear it in this short clip from one at-bat:
The team: The Seattle-South King Sluggers (see the roster here), for whom Walt Hundley serves as home field:
As previewed here a few weeks ago, they extended a special community invitation to their “awareness event,” playing a team from the Seattle Police Department – in black, with special specs that are worn by all players:
This is the second season for the Sluggers, coached by Kevin Daniel
Want to see – and hear – the Sluggers in action? Here’s their schedule.
P.S. According to an update on the Sluggers’ Facebook page, they won 7-0.
Congratulations to the nearly 100 musicians of the Madison Middle School Band who are just back from the annual “Music in the Parks” competition in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Parent Loni Syltebo shares the photos and reports on the results:
Jazz Band, 1st Place (Excellent rating)
String Orchestra, 3rd Place (Excellent rating)
Concert Band, 5th Place (Excellent rating)
Jackson Delaney (8th grader) was awarded Outstanding Jazz Soloist of the competition (photo below):
(Thanks also to parent Karen Pfeiffer Bush for sharing early word of the first-place win.)
You’ve heard of the Winter Olympics … the Summer Olympics … now, meet the Spring Olympics. This past week, West Seattle’s K-5 STEM elementary combined gym versions of popular sports to make them happen – starting with an Opening Ceremony and Parade of Nations during which music teacher Cathy Chutich “led each grade level in sharing songs from their chosen countries or regions,” as explained by parent Kathleen Voss, who let us know about the first-ever STEM Olympics. Then, for three days, PE teacher Gretchen Gray (who shared the photo) led students through events including, from the Winter Games, bobsled, skeleton, speed skating, long jump (skiing), and curling, and from the Summer Games, the 100m dash, 400m relay, basketball, soccer, and a long-jump (track) event. You can see photos and video from the Opening Ceremony/Parade of Nations on the K-5 STEM PTA website.
A joyful moment for Rev. Peg Boyle Morgan and her Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Gatewood before this morning’s service: Four years after they moved into the former Gatewood Baptist Church at California/Othello, they have installed a commemorative plaque in the church entryway – right next to the one the Baptists placed there 64 years ago:
WSUU had intended all along for the original plaque to stay; it was even mentioned in this WSB feature published shortly after they got the keys to the building in April 2010. Adding their own is also a nod to the WSUU past, present, and future, as the church celebrates its golden anniversary – 50 years – this year.
ADDED: Video of the dedication, above.
Know where the corner of Alki and Jersey is? Alki and Arkansas? They’re not on the map, but they seem to be on the books at SDOT. We recorded the sign after Peter sent a photo, writing:
A new sign went up at 57th and Alki last night. It says “Road work ahead Alki Ave SW from Jersey to Arkansas 6-3-14 to 6-4 -14 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Slow and caution.” I can’t figure out what they mean by Jersey and Arkansas. Lived here 20 years and I’ve never seen those street signs.
Our video is from the eastbound side; the westbound sign at Duwamish Head says the same thing. Before assuming it was a hack (stranger things have happened), we looked online; while SW Jersey and SW Arkansas don’t seem to exist in Google Maps or in Bing Maps, we did find them in SDOT’s database, accessible via data.seattle.gov – along with at least one other name that appears to exist on paper only (SW Hampshire). We also found Seattle Municipal Archives photos of a problem with the “Arkansas Street Sewer” in 1962, and going even further back, “Jersey Street Sewer” photos from 1922 – including this one that also mentions an address in the 1300 block of Alki.
As for the practical question – so where IS this impending road work? – “no parking” signs for those dates can be found in the 1200 block of Alki SW, though the explanatory one-sheet we found taped to one sign mentions the 1500 block. Regarding what the crews will be doing, we hope to find out from SDOT tomorrow, since it’s not on the weekly Construction Lookahead.
11:04 PM: Greg points out in a comment that a century-old atlas does show these streets (and others either never built, or built over – including Rhode Island and Mexico).
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
CAR STOLEN IN SEAVIEW: From Jessica:
My mom’s 1991 Honda Accord was stolen sometime after 10:30 pm on Friday, May 30th, near Raymond and 49th Ave SW [map]. It is goldish/sand in color with license plate AJY3779. If seen, please call or text 206-852-6289.
HIT-RUN IN ARBOR HEIGHTS: We don’t know yet exactly where the actual hit-run happened, but a witness saw the fleeing car just before 10 am today:
I was walking my dog … when I heard a vehicle approaching from a side street at a high rate of speed. I got over as far as I could, in time to see the vehicle spin out into the intersection. The vehicle had severe front end damage, and bits of debris were flying off as it sped toward 35th. I don’t have a cell phone, so used a neighbor’s phone to call SPD. They confirmed that there had been a hit & run in the neighborhood (Arbor Heights). The location where I observed this was the intersection of 37th Ave SW & SW 102nd St [map]. The vehicle was traveling south on 37th, then east on 102nd. It probably turned onto 35th from there, but I could not see in which direction. Dark green older-model Honda sedan (probably Civic) with heavy front-end damage. License # AHH****. Hopefully SPD will contact me, as I also have a description of the driver.
BURGLARY IN SUNRISE HEIGHTS: From Vernon:
I wanted you to know that my house (near Kenyon/29th Ave SW; map) was burglarized Wednesday between 2:00 and 4:30 pm (right after the school let out?). They went down the back alley, down my driveway, and into the back yard. From there they took one of the patio chairs and climbed up onto the electrical box for the hot tub and gouged the screen out to get to the kitchen window, which was left ajar. Once in, they stole the laptop in the living room, went into another room and stole an iMac, then went into my room. They ransacked my room until they found the safe which weighed about. 200 pounds. They carried it out of the house through the back door and more than likely into a waiting vehicle, probably parked in my back driveway. I talked to my neighbors either side of me but came up empty.
If you saw anything in that area last Wednesday afternoon, let police know.
P.S. This is NOT a West Seattle case but the suspect could be anywhere so we’re sharing the link to SPD’s updated blotter post on the early-morning double murder in Leschi because they have JUST named a suspect and included a photo. Obviously, if you see him/have any info, call 911. (5:24 pm update – SPD just announced he’s in custody.)
(WSB photo of Lou Cutler during his 2013 Make-A-Wish run)
For the 11th year, Pathfinder K-8 PE teacher Lou Cutler will take to the school’s playfield tomorrow and run one lap for every year of his age. It’s a celebration of his birthday – later this month, he turns 63, so this year it’s 63 laps – and a benefit for the organization with which he’s volunteered for more than 15 years: Make-A-Wish. Pledged/donated dollars go to the organization’s work helping dreams come true for seriously ill children (besides the annual run, Lou also volunteers during the actual wish-granting – he talked with us about that for this story in 2011). Lou doesn’t run alone; it’s a schoolwide celebration by the time the morning’s over. It starts at 8:45 and Lou tells us he’ll likely be on the run until about 12:20 pm. Spectators welcome; you can also donate online whether you’ll be able to join him or not – go here.
(Ferns in Lincoln Park, photographed by Mark Ahlness, shared via WSB Flickr group)
Options for your sunny Sunday, as we begin a brand-new month:
CURIOUS KIDSTUFF SALE: 9 am-5 pm, West Seattle’s independent local toy shop Curious Kidstuff (WSB sponsor) has EVERYTHING discounted 20 percent today for the Sizzling Summer Sale. (4740 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, see what’s fresh! The My Sweet Li’l Cakes food truck is scheduled to be there again, too. (44th/Alaska)
WEST SEATTLE ULTIMATE FAMILY FRISBEE: Join the games, 11 am at Fairmount Playfield – details here. (5400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
LUNA PARK STREET MARKET: Noon-3 pm, the lot outside Ola will become a street market with local vendors – first of four Sundays this summer. (2942 SW Avalon Way)
SWIM OUTDOORS! The outdoor pool on the shore at Lincoln Park is in its second pre-season weekend, open at noon – see the schedule here.
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Second day of the season for free tours with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at Alki Point Lighthouse, 1-4 pm. (3200 Point Place)
READY TO SING FOR YOU: The WS-based Seattle Metropolitan Glee Club performs its spring concert at Peace Lutheran Church, 3 pm, admission by donation. (39th/Thistle)
GARY BENSON AT C & P: Soloist Gary Benson plays live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
FINAL MATINEE OF ‘HAIR’: It’s the last week of “Hair” at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), and today’s your last chance to see a matinee performance, 3 pm. Tickets available online here. (4711 California SW)
Four West Seattle High School notes – first, a scene from Prom Night:
SENIOR PROM: Thanks to Greg Slader (who shared WSHS Baseball photos and summaries this year) for the pre-Senior Prom group photo at Anchor (Luna) Park Saturday night. Afterward, it was off to the prom at the Seattle Art Museum downtown.
ALL-SCHOOL REUNION: Next Friday is the much-awaited annual All-School Reunion at WSHS. As noted on the WSHS Alumni website, doors open at 5 pm on June 6th; classic cars will be shown off as usual along Stevens street on the north side of the school. Whatever year(s) you were at WSHS, you’re welcome at the gathering.
POST-REUNION DANCE: Afterward, you’re invited to dance with “West Seattle’s own Nitemates” starting at 8 pm Friday at the recently rebranded Admiral Benbow (4210 SW Admiral Way).
BOOSTER CLUB FUNDRAISER: Also this week, the West Seattle Booster Club is raising money for WSHS athletics with a Thursday night (June 5) pub crawl, Spirits for Sports, 6-9 pm in The Junction. $25/person – go here for more information and registration.
The opening date for the new South Park Bridge isn’t set yet, and King County isn’t offering an estimate (aside from “summer”), but it’s close to completion, as you can see in the two views shared this week by West Seattle photographer/pilot Long B. Nguyen:
The county Department of Transportation says it’s continuing electrical testing – 142 miles of wire in the project, according to an update earlier this spring. The old bridge was shut down in June 2010 after a raucous sendoff, and South Park community members are working right now to plan a grand-opening party they hope will eclipse it.
P.S. If you’re new to the area – here’s a map showing the bridge’s location.
(UPDATED 4:29 AM SUNDAY with word that he’s been found)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 5:10 PM: Have you seen this man? Seattle Police are trying to find him :
Seattle Police are looking for this developmentally disabled male. He was last seen this afternoon at 12:30 pm, riding a blue bicycle on Alki beach. He is a 26 year old mixed race male, wearing a gray T-shirt with “West Seattle High School” printed on the front. He was also wearing brown/blue plaid shorts and sandals. Please call 911 if you see him.
(Photo added, 5:29 pm)
8:55 PM: He is still missing, according to SPD, which has just tweeted the alert citywide, adding that the missing man’s name is Vincent.
11:14 PM: No updates, but it appears Guardian One revisited West Seattle to help take a look this past half-hour:
Assisted @SeattlePD at Jack Block park on search for missing person
— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) June 1, 2014
4:30 AM: SPD says the search is over – and ended a ways away:
Update on missing 26 year old. Found safe in Bothell.@SeattlePD would like to thank everyone that assisted in looking.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 1, 2014
4:49 AM: And we also have confirmation from Southwest Precinct Sgt. Neil Larkin that Vincent’s been found “safe and sound.”
An SUV fire led to a traffic snarl under the bridge for a while this afternoon – right at Spokane/Harbor/Avalon in the heart of a sunny Saturday. We didn’t catch word of it in real time, but Kristina shared the photo above while the SUV’s front end was ablaze, and Dana sent the aftermath view below:
No word of any serious injuries, but traffic was diverted for a while. We believe the scene’s clear now but are going by to doublecheck.
West Seattle author Brenda Peterson not only lives near the water, she writes about it, and advocates for those who live in and near it. It’s at the heart of her new book, “The Drowning World,” which will be featured next Friday when she’s in the “Words, Writers, & West Seattle” series spotlight:
(Video by Mark Jaroslaw)
The monthly reading/autographing/author talk series presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society moves to a new time for the occasion – you’ll find Brenda Peterson at Barnes and Noble/Westwood Village next Friday (June 6th), 5-7 pm.
P.S. The book she and fellow Seal Sitters founder Robin Lindsey wrote for kids, “Leopard and Silkie,” is up for the prestigious Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award, as announced earlier this month.
Exactly four weeks from now, participants in this year’s Relay for Life-West Seattle will have just finished their intense overnight event at WS Stadium (7:30 pm June 27-11:30 am June 28), one of hundreds of similar events across the country raising money for the American Cancer Society. Right now, it’s full-on advance-fundraising mode, and one of the local teams, “Answers for Cancers,” is doing just that with this car wash at West Seattle Autoworks (35th/Webster; WSB sponsor). By donation, they’re cleaning up cars until 2 pm today. If you can’t make it today, you can also donate to Relay for Life-WS by using the link you’ll find here, and by visiting the stadium during the public Relay for Life events next month.
(UPDATED 3:33 pm with hospital-room meeting between crash victim and Good Samaritan)
10:57 AM: The bicycle rider badly hurt by a hit-run driver last week is recovering and talked with KING 5 reporter Elisa Hahn for the story you can watch above (and on the station’s website). 30-year-old John Macy and his family hope someone will come forward – maybe even the driver her/himself – to solve the case. The newest information is still the same update reported here a week ago, republished below:
Detectives have reason to believe the suspect vehicle is light metallic blue and is missing the right-side mirror. The vehicle should have damage to the front bumper as well as heavy damage to the windshield. The suspect’s vehicle had been traveling westbound at the time of the collision and likely continued over the lower bridge and into West Seattle. Detectives are asking anyone with information to please call TCIS Detective Andrew Norton at -206-684-8934.
(It happened the night of Thursday, May 22nd, around 9 pm.)
3:33 PM UPDATE: We just learned from Harborview Medical Center that David Peterson, the Good Samaritan who spotted John Macy in the road, met him today at the hospital:
That photo is by Bobbi Nodell of Harborview, who says the family asked that they share an update so we could share it with you. She quotes David Peterson as saying, “A huge weight has been lifted knowing he will be OK.” The photojournalist you see at right is from KING 5, which will have a followup on TV tonight.
(Great blue heron and snack, photographed at Constellation Park on Friday by Gary Jones)
Yes, all this really is happening in the next 12 hours or so – and this isn’t even EVERYTHING on the calendar (go see for yourself):
BIKE TRAIL MAKEOVER: 9 am-noon, come help make the SW Andover bike trail safer – details in our calendar listing. (32nd/Andover)
MEXICAN FOOD FAIR FUNDRAISER: Community of Hope Church invites you to come buy homemade Mexican food 9 am-4 pm. (8600 9th SW)
(added) BENEFIT CAR WASH: This year’s Relay for Life, raising money to fight cancer, is coming up, and a team is having a benefit car wash at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) today, by donation, 10 am-2 pm. (35th/Webster)
FREE SHREDDING AND E-CYCLING: 10 am-1 pm, bring your shreddable documents and recyclable electronics to the West Seattle Junction parking lot off 42nd between Oregon and Alaska. Here’s our preview, which includes a link to find out what’s e-cyclable and what’s not. (4500 block 42nd SW)
DENNY-LINCOLN CLASSIC BIKE RIDE: Watch for Denny International Middle School scholars, families, and staff on the road during their second annual ride from the school to Lincoln Park, celebrating the end of Bike to School Month and more. 10 am-noon. (2601 SW Kenyon)
TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: Last chance this school year to meet with West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren – bring your questions/concerns. 10 am-noon, Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)
YACHT RACE IN THE DISTANCE: FYI for west-facing water-watchers, the Blake Island Race is set for 10:30 am-6:30 pm today, with yachts starting from Port Orchard, circling Blake Island, and heading back – details in the club’s annual handbook (page 23).
HELP THE HELPLINE – BUY BBQ! Benefit barbecue at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) today will benefit West Seattle Helpline, 11 am-4 pm. Look for the tent! (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
DELRIDGE GROCERY CO-OP OWNERS/MEMBERS MEETING: First annual meeting of current or future co-op owners as Delridge Grocery‘s board members outline where things stand and what happens next. Salvation Army, 11 am-1:30 pm. (9050 16th SW)
EXPLORE THE BEACH WITH NATURALISTS: One last time before the mid-June low tides arrive, explore Constellation Park or Lincoln Park shores with the Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists, on hand 11:30 am-2:30 pm today.
VIETNAMESE STORY TIME: 11:30 am-noon at Delridge Branch Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
COLMAN POOL’S SECOND PRESEASON WEEKEND: The outdoor pool on the shore at Lincoln Park is open for its second pre-season weekend, starting today at noon. Schedule here.
INCREASE THE PEACE: Free community festival in the lot next to Ginomai Art Center, noon-4 pm. Free kids’ face-painting, free food & beverages, music, conversation. (4401 42nd SW)
GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY ‘GATOR FEST’: Mary sends word of Gatewood Elementary‘s spring fair, 1 pm-4 pm: “We avoid plastic toys and focus instead on fun, environmentally friendly summer activities and will feature marine touch tanks from the MaST Center, The Whale Trail, Home Depot kits, a worm bin build, The Makery and a jump rope demonstration by Jump Works as well as other attractions.” (4320 SW Myrtle)
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOUR SEASON BEGINS: Today through August 31st, you can tour the lighthouse on Alki Point 1-4 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
(WSB photo from June 2013)
There’s a little schedule divergence later in the summer – see the official webpage for details. (3200 Point Place)
BEEP BASEBALL: West Seattle is home to the South King Sluggers, who play beep baseball – designed so that sight-impaired/blind players can come to the plate – and today you are invited to watch them play a Seattle Police team. 1:30-3:30 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield #2 – details in our preview. (6920 34th SW)
SANISLO ELEMENTARY POETS … are among the young poets reading at Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill at 2 pm today. They would welcome your support; reception follows the reading. (1521 10th Ave.)
WEST SEATTLE GREEN SPACES: The organization working on a community vision for the future of Seattle City Light surplus properties in West Seattle has its next meeting at 3 pm at Delridge Library – all welcome. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE 15NOW ACTION GROUP: Diane shares word of this local group in the $15-minimum-wage movement meeting at 3 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), looking ahead to what’s next as the City Council prepares to vote Monday on a version of the $15 minimum. (5612 California SW)
‘HAIR’: Second-to-last weekend to see the musical at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), onstage tonight at 7;30 pm. (4711 California SW)
NIGHTLIFE! See tonight’s highlighted music listings on our calendar.
11:06 PM: The Guardian One helicopter is on the way to join Seattle Police in a Lincoln Park-area search. We’re still tracking down details but wanted to let you know that’s what’s happening, in case you see/hear the helicopter (or are seeing police on the ground).
11:15 PM: They’re looking for multiple suspects, one of whom was described as armed with a knife, last seen running into the north end of Lincoln Park. There’s a K-9 team in that area too.
11:32 PM: They’re still searching the park. Still no word on the nature of the call; all we know for sure is that there have *not* been any major-injury incidents in the area tonight.
11:47 PM: Basically the helicopter – which has been circling for a full half-hour now – is helping point police to just about anyone in the park/vicinity.
11:57 PM: Possible suspects found in the park, toward its central area.
12:06 AM: They’re still working to figure out if the possible suspects are who they’re looking for. And via multiple sources and bits of information, we believe this all started with a business robbery.
12:14 AM: Chopper has moved on – but the case isn’t necessarily closed yet. Their tweet confirms this is a robbery case:
Assisted @SeattlePD on search of Lincoln park for robbery suspects.
— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) May 31, 2014
12:23 AM: Seattle Police add that it “started as a shoplift call in 7400 block of Fauntleroy – male suspect drew a knife and fled into Lincoln Park.” (That’s the mini-mart/gas station across from the north end of the park.)
By this point in the school year – three weeks or less to go – it feels like a race to the finish. But that’s not why they were on the run at Alki Elementary this afternoon. It was the annual Alki-A-Thon – which, if you look closely at the next photo, you’ll notice coincided with Crazy Hair Day. The Alki PTA organized the annual event as a fundraiser, with kids collecting pledges for the laps they ran.
Parents joining the runners out in the bright sunshine got into the spirit too, some sporting “crazy hair” as well as the special Alki-A-Thon T-shirts – here are Christina, Amy, and Alexis:
We caught up later with Susan Gates, this year’s Alki-A-Thon chair, who told us she was especially grateful for so much volunteer help!
ADDED SATURDAY: Thanks to Lori for sharing a photo of her first-grader son Sammy, joyfully running with his schoolmates:
She reports Sammy accomplished 18 laps!
(“Preferred” massing – size and shape, not design – from early renderings filed with the city)
The Southwest Design Review Board only meets if there are projects to review – and its two-Thursdays-a-month schedule has been open since its last meeting almost a month ago. But now there’s a date on the horizon: July 10th is tentatively scheduled as the Design Review debut for a project we first told you about in early May: A three-story eye clinic planned for 7520 35th SW, currently the site of Red Star Pizza (which, as reported in our earlier story, has been looking for a new location), and a 32-space parking area. The July 10th meeting is set for 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle; since that’s six weeks away, there’s always a chance the date could change, and we’ll publish an update if that happens.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:00 PM: The police and helicopter in Highland Park/Riverview is because of a search for two possibly lost children, a 10-year-old girl and 5-year-old boy. Police are asking you to call 911 if you see them. They were last seen in the 12th/Myrtle area across from the playground. The girl has short brown hair, hot pink shirt, possibly a fur vest, cast on her right arm. The boy has blond hair, blue eyes, shirts and short. They might be in the greenbelt or walking nearby streets. More as we get it.
7:26 PM: We have confirmation they have been found safe nearby.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In the second of two back-to-back sentencings involving high-profile West Seattle cases, King County Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer has just sentenced 19-year-old Trevonnte Brown, whose robbery spree aboard a RapidRide bus in Morgan Junction last November ended when passengers grabbed and tackled him.
Brown was sentenced to the recommended 13 1/2 years total – 8 1/2 for the robberies, 5 mandatory years for using a gun – not only for the bus robberies that night but also for another robbery on board a Metro bus earlier that month (not in West Seattle). And prosecutor Alex Voorhees noted that the defendant had told police that he participated in “numerous” strong-arm robberies.
Over the objection of the defense lawyer, she played the video of the bus holdup for the judge, from the moment it showed Brown rising from his seat and pointing his gun at people to demand their phones, to the pileup that followed, restraining Brown and taking away his gun, after one of the victims, Casey Borgen, grabbed his arm. The video continued to roll as a woman called 911, with at least three men keeping Brown down, who could be heard yelling that they were hurting him. A shorter form of the video was shown on citywide TV last year, including this KING5.com clip:
The video continued rolling in court until the point where police entered the bus. They were heard to call the guys who restrained Brown as heroes; Voorhees pointed out that Brown continued acting “abusive(ly)” as he was taken away, including doing damage to a police car. (pleaded guilty last month.)
Voorhees mentioned that Brown had confessed but that she was struck “by the lack of remorse” shown by Brown, who she says told investigators he had been “committing robberies since high school … he acknowledged that these three incidents we have before the court today are by no means the first foray … (though perhaps) the most extreme” because he used a gun.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A year and a half after 38-year-old Amy Lynn O’Brien drove her car into two students across the street from Chief Sealth International High School, an emotional hearing has ended with King County Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer sentencing her to one year, twice the six-month recommendation prosecutors had made, and ordering that the sentence begin immediately.
We reported last month that O’Brien pleaded guilty to hit and run and second-degree assault, the charges originally filed against her.
(WSB photo from the aftermath of the incident in November 2012)
In November 2012, she was arrested for hitting the two girls after getting upset about the 17- and 18-year-old girls’ interaction with her unleashed dog Both girls were hospitalized with serious injuries; O’Brien turned herself in the next day and spent about a week in jail before being released on personal recognizance, remaining free until now.
Both victims, Jessica and Cassandra, were present in court for the sentencing and spoke to the judge, as did the defendant.
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