Details on the crash that caused traffic trouble near 509

We’ve received a few notes asking what caused the traffic trouble near Highway 509, just east of West Seattle/White Center, this afternoon. SPDBlotter has published a report about the pickup-vs.-car crash that closed the road; police say the pickup’s 52-year-old driver wasn’t hurt, but the car’s 16-year-old driver suffered major injuries.

1 AM UPDATE: From comments —

I am a family friend of the 16 yr old girl. I have spent the entire evening at the ER with the family & other friends. Doctors say she was thrown from her car. She is lucky to be alive! She was in surgery for many hours and in radiation, in hopes to stop all of the internal bleeding, for many hours. She has many holes in various organs, broken bones, & her pelvis was crushed open like a book, etc… She is under extremely close supervision. She has many surgeons on hand & she has a very difficult road ahead of her. They are watching for any brain damage & more internal bleeding very closely. She will have to go thru many more surgeries. There were/are a very large gathering of family and friends at the hospital for her who all love her very much! We are all praying for a successful recovery. We hope all surgeries go well & she will soon be able to walk again. She is a very beautiful & intelligent young lady! Please help us pray for a strong recovery!

datamuse May 6, 2009 (11:14 pm)

Actually, going by what it says on the blotter, it looks like the other way around…says the Mustang’s driver was taken to the hospital, the pickup driver was unhurt.

ees May 6, 2009 (11:16 pm)

The girl is just hanging on.In pretty bad shape. She is still alive though.

WSB May 6, 2009 (11:23 pm)

Got the correct info now. Thanks for the condition update – TR

Dustin May 6, 2009 (11:44 pm)

I saw wreckage of this accident riding home from work on the bus. I’m shocked that the driver of the mustang wasn’t killed. The driver’s side of the car was literally destroyed. It was a late 80’s/ early 90’s mustang vs. an F150 or larger sized truck and from what I could tell, the truck would have been traveling downhill on Cloverdale. I honestly thought as we drove by it that I was looking at the scene of a fatality. Amazing that the woman survived. Probably due to the heroic efforts of the EMTs and other emergency responders. My thoughts are with both parties involved, especially the driver of the mustang.

Angela May 7, 2009 (12:56 am)

I am a family friend of the 16 yr old girl. I have spent the entire evening at the ER with the family & other friends. Doctors say she was thrown from her car. She is lucky to be alive! She was in surgery for many hours and in radiation, in hopes to stop all of the internal bleeding, for many hours. She has many holes in various organs, broken bones, & her pelvis was crushed open like a book, etc… She is under extremely close supervision. She has many surgeons on hand & she has a very difficult road a head of her. They are watching for any brain damage & more internal bleeding very closely. She will have to go thru many more surgeries. There were/are a very large gathering of family and friends at the hospital for her who all love her very much! We are all praying for a successful recovery. We hope all surgeries go well & she will soon be able to walk again. She is a very beautiful & intelligent young lady! Please help us pray for a strong recovery!

Mark May 7, 2009 (4:36 am)

Did she have her seat belt on?

brittany May 7, 2009 (7:13 am)

agreed with dustin- i drove past the aftermath after work and thought there was no way that driver could have survived. there was nothing left of that car. prayers for the girl and her family, and also for the driver of the truck.

Russ May 7, 2009 (9:22 am)

Best wishes on the recovery. I saw the scene of the accident later and yes, that mustang was practically ripped in half… Good to know there was no fatality….

prayer May 7, 2009 (9:41 am)

Prayer works – prayers are on the way.

WSB May 7, 2009 (9:48 am)

On a side note, the National Day of Prayer rally is tonight on Alki – see events calendar for details … TR

yesenia May 7, 2009 (2:42 pm)

Hi Everyone!

i am currently a student that goes to the same school as the student in the car crash. I can tell you that all of us miss her already and cant wait to see her back at school… And if anyone that blogs on this website can be respectful and not make jokes or sarcastic remarks that i think the community and the family would much appreciate it.

Thank You

lashanna May 7, 2009 (2:47 pm)

that is such an icky intersection. i live up from on 7th S and i take that route daily…never like the left hand turn onto cloverdale from 1st. there is always a lot going on – many different directions to look for oncoming traffic. i pray that she’s ok and for her family as well

Tierney May 7, 2009 (2:53 pm)

I am a friend of the girl, missed her lots at school today, as did everyone else. All the staff and students at Chief Sealth High School are pulling for her, and praying for a good recovery. She is loved by all, and is an amazing young woman. She is beautiful and smart and has so much going for her. My thoughts are with her and her family. Pray for her!

WSB May 7, 2009 (2:54 pm)

Tierney, if anyone wants to tell us more about her – friends or family – or if there is a fund set up for her that we can publicize, or something, please let us know, as we would be happy to do a longer story with more information:
editor@westseattleblog.com
.
Tracy (WSB editor)

Angela May 7, 2009 (3:36 pm)

Tracy,
I am about to leave and go down to the hospital. I will ask her parents if they want to set anything up. Thank you for mentioning it.

Danielle May 7, 2009 (4:46 pm)

For such a young girl she is so strong and a fighting for her life. The most wonderful thing is that she has a strong family and friend support. So many are thinking of her and love her. Close to 100 people have visited or called regarding her, many more will also. She has a huge team of doctors doing everything to work with her family to acheive the best possible recovery.

CS May 7, 2009 (4:54 pm)

I am also a friend of the girl that was driving the mustang and I sit next to her in one of her classes. All of Chief Sealth is hoping for a good recovery and praying for her. She is one of the sweetest and kindest students in the school. We all can’t wait for her to come back to school after a healthy recovery. My prayers go out to her and her family.

Rebecca May 7, 2009 (5:04 pm)

I work at Concord School down the street from the crash. Was she going to tutor at our school that day?

WSB May 7, 2009 (5:07 pm)

A friend told me in e-mail that she believed that to be the case. We are working to get a little more information so we can post an update, and also hoping for word of an official fund that we can solicit contributions for, in a followup – TR

jmatthew May 7, 2009 (5:23 pm)

She is really good friends of mine. My prayers are going th her

ls May 7, 2009 (5:27 pm)

I’ve been texting and on the phone with friends that are close with the family. As all the comments show she is well loved, so all her friends are very shaken. Right now they are just asking for prayers.

I’m told that, yes, she was on her way to tutor. If I hear anything else I will post as other friends are.

h May 7, 2009 (6:42 pm)

i about freekout when i herd about this. i couldnt believe it. when i herd it on the news the car and 16 year old girl i was like i know her. I couldnt believe it. She is a beautyful young lady and one of our nicest students. I pray for her and her family. not seing her at school tore me . I know its hurting a lot of her close friends at school, and her family. Shes a fighter she will not give up

Tierney May 7, 2009 (7:20 pm)

Thank you for updates. Heard more surgery was going to be needed on her pelvis. Prayers are going out to her, still.

Erik May 7, 2009 (7:52 pm)

All of us here at school are thinking of her, and hope that she makes it through with as little damage as possible.
She was on her way to Team Read, to read to little kids, when her car, which was one of her favorite things, was totaled by a truck. The truck driver was not harmed.
Please make it through! I know you can.

Vini May 7, 2009 (8:31 pm)

This is a particularly hazardous intersection with way too much going on. Southbound on 1st S at Cloverdale is a stop sign with an entrance to southbound 509 directly across the intersection. The problem is the curve as Cloverdale heads SW uphill.
If you turn left to go east from 1st S. anyone entering 509 from the east is turning directly into you on this curve and come upon you much quicker than a regular turn. It sounds like that may be the cause of this accident.
I’m not one to be in favor of more traffic lights but this intersection really needs one.

Brandon Stover May 7, 2009 (8:59 pm)

Yes, she was going to tutor at Concord, and it was the final day at that site. I and others from Team Read were some of the first to make the connection that it was her. The positioning of the cars makes it difficult to say what happened exactly but. We figured out some things and stories have went around school many different stories, one of my very close friends has heard from the Family of the 16year old. They say she was ejected from her vehicle and stuck by another. I know the news may have said that she was “trapped” in her vehicle, but the news also said she was a passenger, or a 20-year old. The news apparently doesnt know the exact story. If you follow the link above you can get some info on how the accident occured, No matter HOW it did, doesnt matter, whats done is done, and All we can do it Pray and Hope for her recovery. With all our Love, and Gods blessing Get well.
– Brandon

Catherine May 7, 2009 (9:39 pm)

I’m really sorry to hear about this accident. I will keep her and her family in my prayers. I hope God is with this family during their difficult time.

NT May 7, 2009 (10:14 pm)

I am really happy to hear that the young woman is alive! My mom and I were there when the accident occured and were one of the first to call 911. I have been thinking about her and have looked everywhere to find information about how she is doing. God is good and he will be there every step of her recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family and friends at this time…..

Angela May 8, 2009 (11:23 am)

NR:
My name is Angela, I am a very close friend to her family & extended family. I am coordinating with her Cousin on getting a fund set up for her & her family. If you know all or just more than we know about the accident, please email me at angstocker@gmail.com, if you wouldn’t mind. That also goes out to everyone who may have actually seen the accident occur. We are looking for the truth. Any info would be much appreciated!!
Tracy,
I will email you with more info as soon as I am able.
Thank you everyone,
Angela

Daniel P. May 8, 2009 (10:18 pm)

I too go to school with her. she’s in my world histroy class and i got to know her in 9th grade too. This news came as a real real shock to me on thursday. I was speechless………..no one at that age deserves to be fighting for their life. I along with my family, and all of chief sealth high school would like to let her family anf friends know that we are thinking and praying for her and wishing her a smooth, speedy recovery. She is liked very much and missed very much. I can’t wait to see her again. And from what i hear from other sources, she’s doing a little better and i hope that means she’ll continue to get better. Hang in there and don’t give up! :)

amg May 9, 2009 (10:20 pm)

I too go to school with her and I have for 5 years now. This young lady is amazing. She has her life planned out. She knows what she wants to do, she is planning on graduating a semester early. For something as tragic as this to happen to her, is just unbelievable to me. To tell you the truth, I DIDN’T believe it until I saw the article on Kiro7’s website. I’ve been keeping in touch with the family and keeping our friends updated, and she seems to be doing a little better but she is not out of the woods yet. She has so many people pulling for her, her family, church members, students and staff from Chief Sealth H.S., West Seattle H.S., and even her middle school teachers are pulling for her. We love her and we all miss her! Keep on fighting girl! We want you back at school as soon as you’re well!!!!

WSB May 9, 2009 (10:43 pm)

We’re standing by waiting to do a longer story as soon as someone comes forward who can talk to us with details on a fund plus more on how she’s doing. If I don’t hear anything by tomorrow, I’ll write something separately anyway.

Tierney May 10, 2009 (9:18 pm)

I have been keeping in touch with family friends as well, and she DOES seem to be doing a little better. We all love her and miss her. Cannot wait to see her again! Pray some more!

Alana May 11, 2009 (6:57 am)

I am in about three of her classes. We sit by each other in math, and sometimes don’t get our work done in class because we talk alot. We do get it done later though. She loves her family, always talks about them, especially her three year old little sister. We love to joke with each other, and make people laugh. I really miss her, and I am praying for her full recovery.

Breanna Whited May 11, 2009 (12:15 pm)

I can’t tell you what a wonderful girl she is! I am her middle school teacher and have also taught her older brother. This family is strong and full of love, faith and support for others and now it is time that we come together to support them. They are the first ones to visit you in the hospital if you are hurting or even celebrating such as with the birth of a child. This family is AMAZING and the girl is a dream to teach and to know. My prayers are with her and the family. Please, regardless of what you believe, send positivity her way!!! I know she is strong enough to make it.

Also, if in any way this accident and tragedy can make a change of this deadly intersection, I think we need to unite and get it done. She was on her way to Concord Elementary like so many parents with children are EVERY DAY. We MUST make this a safe road to travel for our children!

Brandon Stover May 11, 2009 (5:03 pm)

That whole road (S Cloverdale) is messed up. There are countless accidents when people try to merge all the time, from the 509N exit to go to 1st ave, or the people from S Cloverdale trying to go up the hill and the cars from 509S ZOOMING up it. That whole area should be changed somehow. I freak out when i drive the road because so much is happening… We do want this to be fixed so no one else can be involved in a tragedy like this. Our Hopes and Prayers are directed to this young lady!

Brandon Stover May 11, 2009 (9:37 pm)

Updated Blog on the story
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=16772

Senora Rahsaan May 11, 2009 (9:53 pm)

The student’s and staff at Sealth deeply miss Coreena, our thoughts are with her and the Wolford family. She is such a vibrant, positive, smart and wonderful young lady. She is strong and will make it through this time. Te queremos mucho Coreena! Sra. Rahsaan

Danica May 29, 2009 (8:45 am)

Hi,

I am Coreena’s Aunt Danica. We are looking for any witnesses who may have seen the accident take place, not the aftermath. We need to get information for insurance purposes. Please email me at danicacandy@hotmail.com with any information.

It has been a long road, and she still has a lot of recovery and therapy ahead of her. She has been moved to a rehabilitation center and likes it there much better. Thank you to all of you that have written notes of encourangement on the blog.