West Seattle Blog…

Update: School bus & car collide; 2 to hospital including baby

ORIGINAL 9:16 AM REPORT: What was a major “heavy rescue” response to 18th/Elmgrove (map) has just been downgraded to a “motor vehicle accident with multiple patients,” per the scanner. We have a crew on the way to the scene.

9:29 AM UPDATE: The patients are described as a 30-year-old man with shoulder pain and a 10-month-old baby who was in the back seat of the car that was involved. Both are being taken to the hospital but neither is described as seriously hurt, per the scanner. Our crew at the scene says a school bus also was involved, with about six kids on board, reported to be from Roxhill Elementary, but none of them are reported hurt, and another bus is arriving to take them to school.

9:56 AM UPDATE: Police tell us they are still sorting out the circumstances of the crash. As the photo above shows, both the school bus and the car involved wound up on the sidewalk/lawn of property at the intersection. SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore has spoken to media at the scene and confirms that the school bus’s seven students and driver were all checked out and are OK:

A tow truck has already arrived.

Update: Woman hit by bus in South Delridge, but not seriously hurt

8:41 PM: Avoid 15th/Delridge/Roxbury for a while – police and fire are responding to the scene of some kind of accident. It was originally reported as “a woman trapped under a bus” but first units on the scene corrected that to say no one is trapped. However, police are closing off the area while they investigate.

9:02 PM UPDATE: WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz is at the scene. She says the woman is believed to have been hit by the bus but is not believed to have major injuries. Her top photo shows investigators looking under the bus after the woman had already been moved for medical attention.

9:17 PM UPDATE: Deanie says the bus has been towed and the roads have reopened. (This was in the intersection by the former Game Stop on the corner with the Roxbury Walgreens.)

Update: Crash on Delridge ramp from West Seattle Bridge

12:47 PM: Drivers headed west on the West Seattle Bridge can’t use the Delridge exit right now – it’s blocked off because of a crash. The call went out as “automobile rescue”; our crew at the scene says it’s on the curve as the ramp comes down to Delridge, lots of fire/rescue crews. No word yet on whether anyone’s been hurt.

12:57 PM UPDATE: One person taken to Harborview Medical Center, according to the incident commander. And the ramp is open again. This appears to have been a one-vehicle crash, but no details on whether it’s blamed on the wet weather or some other factor.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Bank robbery in Morgan Junction

(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
ORIGINAL 2:25 PM REPORT: Police have rushed to the Washington Federal branch at California/Fauntleroy in Morgan Junction after a robbery report. According to what we are hearing on the scanner, the suspects are described as two men, apparently wearing Halloween masks. There are two reports that the getaway car might be black – a witness near the kitty-corner Thriftway saw men carrying at least one pillowcase jump into a car there and take off. Police are on the lookout all over West Seattle and the city, and also reportedly trying to determine if it’s part of a recent series (we haven’t had any here in WS lately).

2:44 PM UPDATE: Added a photo from WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli, who’s at the scene, and says Seattle Police have given him a few other details – the robbers were white, male, and wearing hoodies, as well as the aforementioned “Halloween masks.” Police confirm they are looking for a black getaway car. Scanner traffic says the robbers were believed to be armed with a shotgun and a handgun.

3:32 PM UPDATE: No word of any arrests so far. A few more details from Christopher at the scene: “The bank manager confirms the branch is closed for the rest of the day and as patrons have been showing up, they’ve been directed to use other branches. SPD detectives are on scene and are reviewing camera footage. They’re also taking pictures in the alley north of the bank location.” We asked him if they had been told what the robbers’ reported “Halloween masks” looked like. One description so far: Possibly a George W. Bush mask.

Bicyclist hurt after hitting car door that opened in her path

A woman in her 20s was just taken to the hospital by private ambulance after her bicycle collided with a car near Genesee/California at the north end of The Junction. Though it was originally dispatched as a potentially major medical call, Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore says the rider has only minor injuries. WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli found out from police at the scene that the woman was riding southbound on California when a driver parked in front of a building on California opened his car door into her path, and she went over the handlebars.

Update: Fuel-slick cleanup after vessel sinks off Beach Drive

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Salvage and cleanup operations continue as of late Friday afternoon. We will update this story until launching a new one this evening.)

8:37 AM: Here’s what’s going on along the 5400 block of Beach Drive that has brought out the Coast Guard and the Fire Department, among others: There was a report of a boat sinking; by the time authorities arrived, it had sunk. It’s a 35-40-foot boat that’s been working on a private project along the shore.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
No one is believed to have been on board. But they’re trying to evaluate what to do next. We’ve got a crew at the scene.

9:09 AM: Yes, this is what the helicopters were looking at – keep in mind that it happened before the TV morning-news daypart had ended. The boat apparently had been toting rocks related to a bulkhead-building project on shore, in tandem with a floating crane (which was not involved in the sinking). The construction crew involved with the project told WSB that the boat sunk within five minutes of starting to list. Again, no one was on board – but the boat was laden with rocks. And as commenters are pointing out, there is a fuel slick now to deal with. We’ll be tracking that part of it with authorities. Thanks, by the way, to everyone who texted/called/e-mailed/etc. about this.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:40 AM: We’ve just gone back to check on the scene again – there’s now a containment boom out. Beach Drive Blog had covered the construction project to which this is apparently related.

10 AM UPDATE: New information from the U.S. Coast Guard: Salvage divers were summoned to the scene. The vessel that went down is described as 73 feet long. It had 300 gallons of diesel and 30 to 50 gallons of motor oil; the Coast Guard says crews were working to “plug the fuel vents” before it went down. (A neighbor tells WSB that it was listing for quite some time before it went down.) The sheen is described as 150 by 50 feet.

10:21 AM UPDATE: New photo – in addition to the boom, absorbent pads are being put in the water to help clean up the oil. The Department of Ecology is involved in this too, and says “the boat owner did not make proper notifications.” The Coast Guard says that’s Waterfront Construction, which it has labeled the “responsible party.”

12:15 PM UPDATE: Neighbor Lura (thank you!) caught the actual sinking of the vessel before it went under, which Beach Drive Blog says is the Justin, went under – we’ve tried to sharpen it up a bit; look close alongside the barge:

Also for BDB, Rob Porter reports via Twitter that water’s being pumped off the barge.

1 PM UPDATE: The Coast Guard has put together its official summary of what’s happening. New information includes news of a contractor brought in to clean up the spill.

1:23 PM UPDATE: Mike sent photos, saying some of it has washed up south of the sinking:

He’s in the 5900 block of Beach Drive, several blocks south.

4:05 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Colby Chester for a bird’s-eye view of what the slick looked like a few hours ago:

The Coast Guard has published another update, acknowledging that some of the sheen has reached the shore, and saying it appeared to be breaking up. We were down at the scene a little while ago and they were doing flyovers to gauge its size. There’s a 500-yard “safety zone” around the spill and, says the Coast Guard update, “An estimated 1,600 feet of hard boom and 300 feet of soft boom have been deployed to contain and absorb oil from the water.” They expect to continue cleanup till nightfall, and to resume it in the morning as needed; salvage operations for the sunken vessel will continue into the night. The state Ecology Department also has an update, with sheen aerials, here.

4:36 PM UPDATE: We also have heard from a spokesperson for the owners of the vessel, which they describe as 75 feet, and confirm is the Justin:

Waterfront Construction, the owner of the 75’ vessel “Justin” that sank in the Puget Sound early this morning, has contracted with NRC Environmental Services to contain the surface sheen released from the vessel.

NRC Environmental Services has multiple spill response vessels and skimmers on scene and has deployed containment boom. Additional boom is on scene and ready to be deployed as needed. Marine and shoreline emergency response trailers as well as vacuum trucks are standing by for additional support, should they be required. In the first few hours, divers were brought in to plug fuel vents to stop the release of the fuel on board. Salvage experts from Ballard Diving & Salvage have been contracted by Waterfront Construction to perform underwater inspections of the vessel and create a salvage plan to raise the ex-military Landing Craft from the Puget Sound waters as quickly and safely as possible.

“Waterfront Construction appreciates the unified response that has been assisting with this unfortunate event and is doing everything in its power to clean the waters as quickly as possible”, states Keith Landry, Project Manager of Waterfront Construction.

In a followup exchange, the spokesperson told us it’s too soon to tell how soon they will try to bring up the Justin, as they are still working on the plan.

What the police/fire response in Luna Park district is about

Several inquiries have come in about the police/fire response in the Luna Park business district. All we know so far is that an elderly man is reported to have suddenly collapsed, and medic crews have been doing CPR. No crime or crash – police told us they are there just to help make sure firefighters have the space they need to work. As you can see in our photo, southbound (uphill) Avalon is blocked at the scene. If we find out anything more later, we’ll add it.

Update: Seattle Fire crew rescues woman off Beach Drive

(Photo courtesy Beach Drive Blog, used with permission)
10:37 AM: Seattle Fire Department is responding to a “water rescue” call off the 4400 block of Beach Drive, and that’s what the choppers are about. We’re en route.

10:51 AM: Most of the big response you might have seen on the 911 log was canceled before they even arrived, according to SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore, because the rescue happened fast. He says Seattle Police reported a woman in her 30s in the water, “maybe hypothermic,” and SFD first responders used a ladder to get her out of the water and safely to shore. She’s been taken to Harborview Medical Center.

1:41 PM: SFD confirms that, as a commenter had noted reading elsewhere, the rescued woman was believed to be suicidal. Moore says, “We transported her to Harborview with a possible overdose and psych evaluation. She was about 15 feet in the water and we lowered a firefighter on a ladder to rescue her.”

(As we always note in stories mentioning suicide, which takes more lives than homicide but is not nearly as reported/discussed, there is help available 24/7 for those who need it – the Crisis Clinic hotline is 206.461.3222.)

West Seattle traffic alert: Crash at 30th/Thistle

5:33 PM: Police/fire/tow crews are blocking eastbound Thistle at 30th, 2-car crash.

5:48 PM: Police actually were blocking eastbound Thistle at 31st, a block west of the scene, till the cars are towed. No serious injuries – one private ambulance responded. One tow truck was already there before we left a few minutes ago.

Update: Van flips near Madison Middle School, no serious injuries

9:43 AM: Startling sight on the sidewalk, just off the southeast corner of the Madison Middle School parking lot – an overturned van. Amy, who sent first word of the crash, says a woman and small child were inside, but both OK, and police at the scene confirmed that no one had to go to the hospital. No word how this happened; it’s the second West Seattle van flip in four days, after this one east of High Point on Saturday (no serious injuries in that one, either). Traffic is not affected, though you might want to avoid 45th/Spokane for a while, since a tow truck will have to get the van uprighted before taking it away.

5:09 PM UPDATE: Official info from police is finally in. Another driver is blamed for causing the rollover by “failing to yield the right of way at the intersection” – and that driver, NOT the driver of the van that rolled, was cited, police tell WSB.

Traffic alert: Crash closes eastbound Sylvan Way

A car has flipped on the greenbelt shoulder of eastbound Sylvan Way just uphill from Home Depot. No serious injuries but eastbound traffic is being turned back several blocks uphill. Westbound is getting through.

West Seattle traffic alert: Crash on SW Alaska

Traffic is slow going on SW Alaska between 35th and 36th SW in The Triangle right now, in front of The Grove/West Seattle Inn, because of a crash involving at least two cars. No major injuries reported – a private ambulance is there to transport one person – but it’s blocking the westbound lanes.

Update: Crash at 36th and Barton, one car flips

9:18 PM: Scanner says a vehicle has overturned at 36th and Barton, and that’s why a big “heavy rescue” response was headed that way. We’re en route.

9:26 PM: Two cars are involved in the crash – one is right-side up, one is upside down. A private ambulance is on scene so it appears at least one person is hurt. Working to see if we can find out who hit who. The “heavy rescue” call was downgraded fairly quickly – no “heavy rescuing” needed after all.

9:50 PM: Police at the scene wouldn’t comment. We do know that indeed, only one person was taken to the hospital. Tow trucks were called for both cars. In comments, a neighbor says the car that flipped hit a parked car.

(P.S. Unrelated but we’ve gotten some texts asking about the westbound West Seattle Bridge – a problem on the high-rise has backed it up; [update] via Facebook, people who drove by say that looked like a rear-end crash with at least two people hurt.)

In case you wondered: Police/fire on Harbor Avenue

Just in case you passed by or were in the area and wondered: The fire/police response that’s wrapping up in the Salty’s vicinity on Harbor Avenue involves a diver who, according to the scanner, felt sick after emerging from the water. No water rescue was needed, but 911 was called, SFD responded, and was taking the diver to the hospital at last report. Police were called to help with traffic in the vicinity of the SFD units.

Update: Fire call in High Point – no fire

(Thanks to Amanda for sharing photo taken by Kelby)
11:20 AM: Big response to Bridge Park in 3200 block of SW Morgan, but scanner indicates it’s an air conditioning problem. On our way to doublecheck.

11:30 AM: All’s well – last fire truck left as we arrived.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Another hit-and-run

(Photos by Katie Meyer for WSB)
A neighbor heard this crash and called 911, not even knowing exactly where it had happened. Soon enough, police found this car up against a garage in the 4800 block of SW Lander (map) in the Admiral District – nobody hurt, unless injuries were suffered by one or both of the two men who reportedly got out of the car after it crashed and ran. WSB contributor Katie Meyer checked out the scene about half an hour ago and says it appears the car, a Toyota Corolla with Alabama plates, ” came up Admiral eastbound, did not make the curve for some reason. Sailed through a sign bolted on the sidewalk, then continued up that side street and rammed into/alongside the garage.”

Katie reports that photo was taken right after a tow-truck operator pulled the trash/recycling container out from under the car. No word of arrests.

Update: Four people hurt in South Admiral crash

(Photo by Katie Meyer for WSB)
8:17 PM: At least four people are going to the hospital from the scene of a “heavy rescue” callout at 44th and Stevens, according to WSB contributor Katie Meyer. She says original scanner traffic suggested this might be a hit-run – with at least two vehicles involved. Katie says it appears that two children and two adults are being transported to the hospital. The scene is just west of PCC (here’s a map). More to come.

8:37 PM: Adding a photo – will have clearer ones shortly. Firefighters at the scene confirm four people were taken to the hospital, all by private ambulance, no life-threatening injuries. (photo added)

(Photo courtesy Juliette)
Trying to find out if the driver who reportedly bolted one of the vehicles has been found; police at the scene aren’t commenting.

Update: Car overturns, 1 hurt in Morgan Junction crash

(First photo added 9:44 am)
9:22 AM: Fire and police are responding to a “heavy rescue” call at 42nd and Morgan. More as we get it.

9:38 AM: The crash is on Morgan east of 42nd – so the Fauntleroy/California intersection area is not affected, but Morgan is blocked off at 42nd (which is just east of West Seattle Thriftway, whose entrances/exits are NOT affected).

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:44 AM: Crews on scene tell us the woman driving the car has gone to Harborview; she was alone in the car. As you can see from photos, it hit poles and has taken down wires – the 41st/42nd/Morgan area is likely to be blocked off for hours to come – City Light is en route to evaluate. We are told the driver’s injuries are NOT life-threatening.

11:13 AM: Tow truck and City Light were on scene when we stopped by a short time ago, so cleanup is under way, but it’s still blocked and the 128 bus is being rerouted – check with Metro for the latest. (Video added above.)

Police investigate stabbing in Highland Park, 1 victim

6:14 PM: Police are investigating a stabbing at 14th and Henderson in Highland Park. The victim is male and being rushed to the hospital now. More as we get it.

6:34 PM UPDATE: This happened at an apartment building; while we wait to talk to the lieutenant who’s on scene, scanner communication describes it as a domestic-violence incident, with the suspect(s) possibly in a brown Ford Bronco with tinted windows and spinner-style rims, headed north. While few crime scenes are “calm,” this one seems particularly tense, with more than a few of the people outside the building expressing themselves loudly and emotionally.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
7:15 PM UPDATE: At the scene, Lt. Ron Smith tells us it’s still too soon to say exactly what happened, as different people are telling them different stories. One person who he says may or may not be a suspect has voluntarily turned himself in. They have found what may be the weapons that is used, but they’re still searching, to be sure.

Update: Car flips after hitting parked vehicles, driver OK

11:22 PM: Delridge is closed southbound in the 5900 block after a car hit parked cars and flipped. No major injuries reported.

11:48 PM: Added a photo. Neighbors say the parked car next to which the flipped car is seen is one of two cars it hit.

12:10 AM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli talked to police; the driver did not have to be taken to the hospital. Police wouldn’t elaborate on the circumstances of the crash but were seen giving the driver a citation. Here’s what the car looked like after a tow truck righted it:

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)

Update: Police search after two men stabbed in North Admiral

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli; this one substituted at 1:06 am for original same-angle cameraphone photo)
11:36 PM: Police and fire are rushing to California/Donald in North Admiral (map), in the Hamilton Viewpoint Park area. The report is of two people stabbed, both male, one about 30, one about 50. Both are being rushed to Harborview Medical Center. There’s no suspect description but they might be on foot, according to the scanner. We have crews on the way to the scene.

11:48 PM UPDATE: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli has just arrived. Adding his cameraphone photo of the two medic units, M-32 and M-10, that are taking the stabbing victims to Harborview. Also note that the north end of California SW is blocked off starting at SW Atlantic.

11:58 PM UPDATE: Witnesses tell Christopher that they heard a commotion in the park and saw a group of people walking up California – the stabbing, he was told, happened midway up the block, outside the park, between SW Donald and SW Atlantic. The two medic units are now about to leave for the hospital.

12:16 AM UPDATE: Police tell Christopher at the scene that this is what they are learning so far: They believe the victims are transients who reside in Hamilton Viewpoint Park. They were confronted by a group of as many as 8 people, described as Hispanic men and women. An argument erupted into violence. One of the transients did not initially realize he had been stabbed. One of the victims (apparently the younger one) is in critical condition. Police have not found any weapons yet, nor do they have additional leads yet.

12:28 AM UPDATE: California has reopened to traffic, reports Christopher, but the west side of the street is “cordoned off.” He has been told one victim was stabbed in the side, the other in upper back/shoulder area.

Update: Shooting in Arbor Heights sends man to hospital

(8:23 PM TOPLINE: 1 man shot, not life-threatening, no arrests so far, new details just added from police)

5:24 PM: We’re at SW 97th and 33rd SW in Arbor Heights (map), where a shooting was reported in the 9700 block of 33rd a short time ago. Police are said to be looking for a male suspect who got away in a red vehicle – update, a maroon Bronco. Officers are searching for evidence and talking to possible witnesses.

They believe the victim and suspect may know each other. Scanner traffic indicates the victim was shot once, 40-caliber bullet, through the hip area.

ADDED 5:56 PM: Gang unit detectives are here, though that doesn’t always mean gang activity is suspected – and some of them already have left. Lt. Von Levandowski from the Southwest Precinct has just provided more information: The victim is a man, shot while standing on the sidewalk, with shots fired by somebody in a vehicle. They now think three people were in that vehicle, which they describe as a maroon SUV (not necessarily a Bronco). Investigators have been combing the block for shell casings, trying to determine exactly which direction the shot was fired from.

6:26 PM: Nothing new. SPD media-response Det. Mark Jamieson is expected to brief media at the scene shortly.

7:06 PM: Det. Jamieson was diverted elsewhere before arriving, but via Twitter, reports that the victim and suspect did know each other, that the victim’s injury is not life-threatening, and that “gang detectives are investigating.”

8:23 PM: New information from police via SPD Blotter:

On July 16th, at about 5:10 PM, Southwest Precinct officers responded to the 9700 Block of 33 Avenue Southwest on a report of a shooting. An adult male who had apparently befriended the suspects the night before, met the suspects, described as two black men and a white female, outside of a residence where he was planning on purchasing some items from one of the suspects. As the victim reached for his wallet, one of the suspects pulled out a gun. There was a struggle over the weapon, and the victim was shot once in the buttocks. The suspects fled in a maroon Ford Bronco. Police and Seattle Fire responded to the scene and SFD transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center. The injury is not considered life-threatening.

Gang detectives also responded and are following up on potential leads. This remains an active and ongoing investigation.

Police investigate explosion-type noise in Junction area

12:02 AM: We’re receiving multiple reports of a very loud explosion-type sound in the Junction vicinity. “With car alarms,” according to @macjustice via Twitter. Fire crews are going were briefly sent to California/Edmunds to investigate – but can’t find anything and are being canceled. Police were checking too.

(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 12:53 am)
12:29 AM: Via the WSB Facebook page, one area resident reports being told by police that whatever exploded, was set off in a dumpster by the Chase drive-through. There also are reports of a few more booms a few minutes ago, possibly in the Jefferson Square Safeway vicinity, per FB discussion.

1:27 AM NOTE: Things seem to have quieted now – no further news on this.