Update: Officer hurt in crash at Delridge/Holden

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 7:38 pm – police car on sidewalk is the one involved in collision)
ORIGINAL 6:13 PM REPORT: There’s a crash at Delridge/Holden and traffic is affected at least as far as Thistle on the south side. SeattleCrime reports that an officer may be involved. (Holden/Delridge is just a block south of the Southwest Precinct.) 6:46 PM UPDATE: There will be traffic trouble at that spot for quite some time, as the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is being brought in. We have no information yet on the officer’s condition. 7:06 PM UPDATE: Christopher Boffoli is at the scene for WSB and has just talked to Lt. Ron Rasmussen, who says the officer’s injuries are minor – he was taken to Harborview Medical Center just for observation. There were “multiple” occupants in the other car – which Christopher says is in worse shape than the police car – we don’t know how they’re doing. Delridge remains closed from Orchard until at least Kenyon. The investigation, obviously, is just starting, but we’re told it appears the officer was heading east on Holden and collided with the car on Delridge.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 7:39 pm)
7:31 PM: SPD Blotter has now posted more details about the crash:

On March 4th at approximately 5:38 p.m. an on-duty officer in a marked police car was involved in a collision with another driver near the intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Holden Street. There were two occupants in the other involved car (driver and passenger). The officer was the only occupant of his patrol car. All involved parties were transported to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.

10:17 PM: As of a few minutes ago, Delridge was still closed at Thistle – haven’t checked the northern side of the investigation zone yet. 11:39 PM: The road’s now open again, according to 2 reports in comments (THANKS!).

WTF March 4, 2010 (6:17 pm)

Yeah, it’s a mess. They have traffic diverted for several blocks south and north. Just a note to the drivers, when they get home and logon. Chill out and be patient. Sad how driving through this I witnessed a whole lot of selfish “all about ME” drivers. Life’s too short people.

Jen March 4, 2010 (6:18 pm)

This was an accident involving a police car and another car. Airbags deployed on both cars. The officer was taken away on a stretcher, was not moving, and the ambulance did not use sirens. Traffic still blocked in all directions, north/south on Delridge and West on Holden.

das March 4, 2010 (6:51 pm)

do you know the make and model of the other car?

BL March 4, 2010 (7:06 pm)

It is frustrating to live in the apartments at this intersection and my wife was not allowed to drive in from the Thistle side. How many blocks do you need to investigate one intersection?
The non-police car’s front end is virtually gone. Of course, it will be very unfortunate if anyone is injured.

Adam March 4, 2010 (7:08 pm)

The other car was blue and an older model… maybe an oldsmobile

WSB March 4, 2010 (7:13 pm)

Christopher is at the scene now, and while he wasn’t able to get close, he also said it looked GM, possibly Chevrolet, midsize sedan, light-colored.

Britta March 4, 2010 (7:26 pm)

Yes it’s blocked from a little past Orchard past Kenyon, we live in West Ridge and have no access to our house, have to park on surrounding streets and hop the fence to get to our place.

Angela March 4, 2010 (8:05 pm)

@Britta – Also live at West Ridge and the female cop at Thistle wouldn’t let us by because she’s a complete idiot. After parking and walking around to the entrance, we saw plenty of other cars being allowed by – Good job Seattle PD.
I wish people would learn to drive so that maybe there wouldn’t be an accident at this intersection every month.

samson March 4, 2010 (8:25 pm)

very OUCH!

amused March 4, 2010 (9:45 pm)

a complete idiot? you made that kind of judgement from a brief encounter with the officer, you must be special

Lani March 4, 2010 (10:26 pm)

I live at West Ridge and was allowed to park on Holden so long as I didn’t turn on to Delridge. We parked and then walked home. As we walked by, the tow trucks were taking both cars away. This happened about 5 minutes ago so maybe they will open up the streets soon…

WSB March 4, 2010 (10:51 pm)

Thanks, Lani! It will probably be half an hour before we can drive over to check so if anyone sees the street reopen sooner, a comment here will be appreciated – TR

Marc March 4, 2010 (10:28 pm)

Wow, That intersection is really dangerous. Last night I witnessed a hit and run right in front of me. There is no reason to have three lanes with a yield turn off going southbound on Delridge at this intersection, as it is near impossible for anyone to judge which lane on coming traffic is going as it has a slight turn. There needs to be a revision of this intersection for turn arrows (no turns on red arrow), I mean people need to be safe but safeness at an intersection at this magnitude needs to be revised. And the blocking off I agree was a little too big, I thought there was a manhunt going on.

Lani March 4, 2010 (11:24 pm)

The streets are completely open now…at least at Delridge and Holden. I just walked over there to get my car.

techpsyche March 4, 2010 (11:32 pm)

The road is completely open for traffic and the busss(120) is running on it now. I just got my car into apartment which is on Delridge and Kenyon.

WSB March 4, 2010 (11:39 pm)

Thanks for the updates! You’ve just saved a little bit of fuel from being needlessly burned :)

techpsyche March 4, 2010 (11:40 pm)

The other car was a blue BMW, probably a 5 series or 7 series. It was completely gone at front. The officer told me no one is injured badly. while I came home around 5.55PM I saw the officer and the driver and passenger from other car being taken away by ambulance. I thank god that no one was seriously injured. Need to be careful enough and accidents are prone to happen. Even I saw some cars being let while I was stopped. Was confused but wouldn’t call the police “idiot” coz after all they were doing their duty and because of them we can stay peacefully at all times.

moxilot March 5, 2010 (10:16 am)

Is there any report as to why they closed down such a large area? I was on my way southbound when I ran into the roadblock. Considering the number of blocks it encompassed, I honestly thought someone was on the loose with a gun or some other chase was underway.

WSB March 5, 2010 (10:48 am)

Moxilot, on the south side, there is no other through street from Delridge till you get to Thistle. So if they had let all traffic continue to Kenyon, there still would have been a fair amount of people having to turn around. This is not the first time that a crash in that area has led to a really wide closure zone.

pat carr March 5, 2010 (11:04 am)

yeah went by that last night. we live at westhaven at 24th and holden so it wasn’t easy to get home. even the street by home depot was blocked.

ltfd March 5, 2010 (8:07 pm)

Angela ranted, “Also live at West Ridge and the female cop at Thistle wouldn’t let us by because she’s a complete idiot. After parking and walking around to the entrance, we saw plenty of other cars being allowed by – Good job Seattle PD”.

Angela, I’m thinking you are a little judgmental. The officer was following the directions at the time, per what the officer-in-charge directed via the radio (I was listening on the Komo news website 911 scanner). At a certain point, after analyzing the scene and determining what evidence area needed to be secured, traffic was again allowed to pass/move in some lanes.

Sorry, comment time is over.