What ever happened to … The Porsche-off-Alki case

That’s one of our video clips from early Tuesday 5/26, as a tow truck pulled a wrecked Porsche up over the Alki Avenue seawall (WSB full coverage here). Its 54-year-old driver survived the plunge, reportedly without serious injury. Angela just e-mailed to ask if he was ever cited, so we checked with Seattle Police; Officer Renee Witt tells us that’s still an open case, awaiting results of “toxicology tests,” since police had said intoxication was suspected as well as speed.

Angela June 4, 2009 (2:38 pm)

Thanks for such a prompt follow up to my email. WSB ROCKS!

ScubaO2 June 4, 2009 (9:49 pm)

Why hasn’t he at least been charged with Reckless Driving thus far? If he ONLY gets off with a DUI, knowing he could have taken so many lives in his joyride that night, I’ll be a FURIOUS tax-paying, law-abiding Seattleite. A pleasant evening, thank heavens noone was out for a late stroll. I guess if you’re worth millions and can afford to jump a Porche into the Sound you can escape justice too (I’m also going to wager he’s a white male, if he was a young minority he’d be in jail as I type this, you know it and I know it).

alki_2008 June 5, 2009 (12:39 am)

ScubaO2 – why do you assume he’s worth millions? It’s a Porsche 911, not a freakin’ Lotus or Maserati. He could’ve bought it used in the past few years and paid about as much as someone buying a new Honda Accord or Toyota.
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And nice way to throw in a ‘race card’.

WSB June 5, 2009 (12:45 am)

Here’s the deal.
We have covered many collisions and know this to be true.
If there is a major collision case, police do NOT cite until the investigation is done. And that can take months.
Not saying it’s right or wrong, but that’s the way it is – TR

ScubaO2 June 5, 2009 (7:27 pm)

The race card… I’m a 31-year-old white male. I have friends of every shade of color under the sun. Life and statistical fact have shown me how White Priviledge affect us all in America. It’s a great country, don’t get me wrong. We’r progressing. However, alki_2008, do you dispute the statistics that show our wonderful “Justice System” is racially and financially biased?

I’ve always thought the term “race card” was insulting, and takes credibility away from the fight so many of the minority groups in our country face everyday.

“It’s a Porche 911, not a freakin’ Lotus or Maserati.” Some forced induction Porches are worth $200,000 and can top 200mph, both figures topping virtually any Lotus or Maserati (including the GranTurismo) on the streets today.

Maybe you were just tired at 1:00am when you left your clearly informed, non-biased post.

alki_2008 June 5, 2009 (8:50 pm)

Scuba – get back to me when you substantiate the Porsche owner’s net worth and the cost of his vehicle.
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Maybe chill out a bit. This case isn’t about the broad-based criminal system, it’s a potential DUI (pending toxicology) or reckless driving case…presumably by someone that doesn’t have a prior criminal record. You think that just because he hasn’t been thrown into jail that he’s going to “escape justice”?
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I love it when “white guys” (I’m not one) think they understand minorities because they have minority “friends”. I guess having “friends” makes you an expert about their races and cultures?

ScubaO2 June 5, 2009 (9:32 pm)

Dear alki_2008

“(I’m not one)” haha!? I have to say that my life experience and the fact that my significant other is black makes me as much an expert as one can be when relating to other’s lives. Living in a biracial relationship has opened my eyes, and hearing her life’s story has certainly been inspiring, saddening and informative. I can only hope someday in your life you have such a revelation, and not about race persay, but life in general. You sound extraordinarily haughty, and angry.

I’m very chill, you seem to be the uptight one good neighbor. “I guess having ‘friends’ makes you an expert about their races and cultures?” Settle down, go out for a night on the town? Grab a beer? Read what you’ve written and digest your ignorance.

We’re both uninformed as to the monetary value of the Porche, the rascal’s net-worth (and his race, but I’m willing to bet my view he’s white, which was the blasphemous comment I made that has you in arms), you realize that no? Again, if he was my wife’s 18-year-old black nephew I guarantee he’d be in jail (the police officer said the vehicle was travelling at a very, VERY high rate of speed, isn’t that Reckless Driving, why an investigation if it’s already been determined? Arrest and investigate).

Finally, do please explore the racial, and financial disparities evident in our country. You make it sound as though whites being uber-privilidged is news? It’s not, unfortunately it’s been true since whites conquered Europe, cruised here and did the same to Native Americans, then prospered immensely on the work of African slaves (of which the benefits are still seen to this day). Every race has committed atrocities against other races, it’s human nature – I’m focusing on whites because that’s our country’s historical monarch. I have so many great books for you, you sound so uninformed or misinformed?

Cheers!

Your happy neighbor on Alki

alki_2008 June 5, 2009 (10:38 pm)

Scuba – you make me laugh. You make so many assumptions and post them, yet tell me that I am uninformed. You sound very much like a white male with “white guilt”, and with a feeling that every minority needs you to protect them and stand up for them…as though s/he can’t stand up for themselves. At least I wait for information before making assumptions about someone that isn’t in the audience to defend themselves. You’ve already made assumptions about my “life experiences” and I’m sure you have assumptions of my race and gender as well…FYI-they’re wrong.
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Maybe you should ask yourself why your first assumption was that the driver is white and rich? Sounds like you don’t think minorities can drive expensive Porsches, which says a lot about how much you value the abilities of minorities. Just because your wife is a minority doesn’t mean you are an “expert” about anything and you can’t extrapolate your wife’s experiences to every minority or African-American out there. Your arguments are laughable. This isn’t about white privilege, it’s about a reckless driver and your assumptions about him.
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By the way, if they arrest the man then they need to charge him within a specified time period. That’s why they do the investigation first, so they know what charges to file. Unless your wife’s nephew had a prior record, then it’s unlikely he would’ve been jailed for reckless driving. Our jails are plenty crowded enough with more violent criminals than to throw reckless drivers in jail. Find stats of how many reckless drivers are thrown into jail, categorized by prior criminal record and race…and then we could have a valid debate.
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G’nite!

ScubaO2 June 5, 2009 (11:38 pm)

“Maybe you should ask yourself why your first assumption was that the driver is white and rich?” I knew it was a white guy because he wasn’t arrested. And rich because it was a Porche 911 which retails new at about $140,000, and with modifications can run up to and over $200,000. If the driver had been a young black male, he would have been arrested. I know plenty of fiscally-advantaged black, Asian, Hispanic, Indian, Native American etc. men and women. Who’s making assumptions now (“Sounds like you don’t think minorities can drive expensive Porsches, which says a lot about how much you value the abilities of minorities”)? The only assumption I made and stick with is that the driver’s white (he wasn’t arrested).

I think it’s sad you don’t acknowledge stats and admissions even made by the U.S. Justice Department. I don’t think it’s sad because you’re a minority, I think it’s sad because until everyone acknowledges it, IT won’t be fixed.

Who are our jail’s crowded with alki? Overwhelmingly, minorities. And our prisons? Again, minorities. When The U.S. Justice Department acknowledges that there is indeed a huge financial, and racial disparity in our Justice System I tend to believe that – the U.S. government doesn’t set out to lie in order to make itself look bad. I’m vexed on why you’re having a hard time agreeing with fact, moreover it would seem you’ve made up your own fictional take on the system.

I think it’s sad you’re insinuating I’m racist (because according to you I don’t think ANY black man or woman could POSSIBLY drive afford a Porche). How sad. I won’t be as bold nor stoop so low, I don’t believe you’re a racist. Again, just uninformed, or misinformed.

A final thought, I absolutely believe it’s an inherent necessity that we all protect minorities. We’ve overlooked them since the birth of our great nation. I took a class whilst pursuing my Master’s, it was about White Priviledge. Perhaps you’ve taken the course. If not, there’s objective material even you might find agreeable and I’d be more than happy to provide the literature and even help you contact the Dr. who taught the course, she’d be more than happy to open a dialogue with you.

I do wish you the best,

Your neighbor

glocson June 6, 2009 (1:03 pm)

I know of this guy…. He was thrown out of The Celtic Swell and berated the security. I’ve also seen him at Bamboo drop a full “pint” glass of beer on the floor after saying he “was done”. Also this is the guy doing drunk donuts and powerslides in the snow on Alki this past winter. Right in front of Bamboo. He is a …….

alki_2008 June 6, 2009 (11:56 pm)

Scuba – where did I insinuate that you’re racist?
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Also, I haven’t written anything in these comments that either agrees or disagrees with racial aspects of the OVERALL justice system…just about this case that is ‘simply’ reckless driving and/or DUI with a driver that apparently didn’t have a prior record. I’m not going to get into a discussion about the OVERALL justice system here, because it’s irrelevant.
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And the $140k-$200k value you keep mentioning about this car? It’s a 1991 model that MIGHT have a souped-up engine, but the value of the car in this specific incident has never been mentioned. I’m not a big fan of generalizations (or stereotypes), so how about just waiting for details before making assumptions about this specific case?

ScubaO2 June 9, 2009 (12:47 am)

Fair enough alki_2008, I was very quick to assume he was a white male, but that’s from my own experience with witnessing the judicial processes through the decades.

You never called me a “racist”, I felt as though you casually made the insinuation however. That falls on my shoulder’s however. We’re all responsible for our feeling’s and how we react to people – I’m old and mature enough to certainly concede you weren’t implying or insinuating anything.

I’m an extraordinarily passionate man who believes in ideals, and I’m sorry if some of my comments and observations were insulting.

I wholeheartedly agree that we should wait for the results of the investigation.

Sidebar – I like the WSB, it’s much more objective than I first thought, and you guys (WSB) are spot-on with your reporting – I’m impressed with the accuracy and no-spin approach, and your dedication =)

WSB June 9, 2009 (1:18 am)

Thanks. We’re not really a “blog” … the word, which does lead to confusion about what kind of site this is, is in our name because we started with a year of opinion and observations, and then went all news, but this is how we’re known and the process of getting “blog” out of the name will be a delicate one whenever we get around to embarking on it. We are simply a commercial, journalist-run news site that publishes in blog format, 35 years in old media between your two co-publishers… TR

HelloGoodBye June 10, 2009 (1:17 am)

First off you know nothing about Porsche’s! LOL. 140k Porsche’s are Turbo’s or GT cars, that is not a Turbo, 200k Porsche’s assuming you’d even know one if you saw it wouldn’t have chrome wheels! If you’d like a quick automotive education I can be found in my Porsche 05 911 C4S (black on black, with HRE’s) all over West Seattle . . . Oh, please keep assuming that my car is worth 140k+ and if you ever have enough money to afford a Porsche please buy mine! I promise I’ll sell it for just under 140k

ScubaO2 June 10, 2009 (11:48 pm)

TechArt Porche, look it up (and FI means Forced-Induction, ie turbo). You’re the guy with the tiny house (in need of a paint job and maintenance) down up the street and the big Ford F-650. And seriously, “if you can ever afford a Porche” lol, I have a Modena. But I don’t drive it much, I’m not a flashy person, and I don’t think classy people brag about their car(‘s), or money (keep the HRE’s, the whole black on black on black car scheme was an unfortunate trend, again tacky). I’ve seen you many times in the Porche, it looks like a $15,000 accident, truly. I’ll certainly concede being an authority on Porches however, you can keep that label.

Sorry, comment time is over.