Update: ‘The Bridge’ remains open after crash

(Photo by Katie Meyer for WSB, swapped at 6:46 pm for previous camphone photo by Celeste)
4:05 PM: We’re on our way to 35th and Avalon, where a heavy-rescue response – many fire and police units – is reportedly answering a call about a car hitting a building. More in a moment.

4:15 PM: WSB contributor Katie Meyer arrived on scene first and says it’s The Bridge, the new bar/restaurant, which has some damage to repair but this has been downgraded from a major response.

4:20 PM: Just talked with The Bridge’s co-owner Trevor Garand, who says nobody inside was hurt and they ARE open. “Karaoke night is ON!” he told WSB’s Patrick Sand. They’re already making plans for repairs. I

33 Replies to "Update: 'The Bridge' remains open after crash"

  • Cheryl March 30, 2011 (4:24 pm)

    WHOA!! Glad to hear they’re still open and that no one inside was hurt. Hope the driver was insured!

  • Cheryl March 30, 2011 (4:24 pm)

    Oops. Duplicate post. Sorry!

  • jiggers March 30, 2011 (4:25 pm)

    Aweeee man, That is not a good sign for a new business. I hope there were no casualties.

  • D.C. March 30, 2011 (4:49 pm)

    It’s a sign of good luck! In the words of T.S. Garp: “Honey, the chances of another plane hitting this house are astronomical. It’s been pre-disastered. We’re going to be safe here.”

  • JayBee March 30, 2011 (4:51 pm)

    Ma….talk about crashing a party!! Ok that was bad but I could not resist.

  • coffee March 30, 2011 (4:52 pm)

    Despite an attempt for a drive through bar…..I just couldn’t resist. I often wondered if that would ever happen there. Glad to hear that they are not closing down for the night!

  • derrick March 30, 2011 (4:52 pm)

    how do you even hit a building like that? that person needs to lose their license!

  • jiggers March 30, 2011 (4:55 pm)

    It’s just a matter of time before someone nose dives into the infamous “HOLE.”

    That would generate some business a drive thru bar though…lol

  • Hey! March 30, 2011 (4:56 pm)

    Hey, maybe the guy thought it was a drive thru. Now that’s a good idea! Cut it open a little more and sell him a burger.
    (Just kidding…I too am glad there were no serious injuries)

  • Darren March 30, 2011 (5:08 pm)

    Derrick- Something might have happened you don’t know. You really shouldn’t be saying things like that.

  • Cascadianone March 30, 2011 (5:21 pm)

    The crazy angle of the photo makes the whole building look unstable- but when I cocked my head to the side it looked much less serious. LOL. Glad nobody was hurt.

    • WSB March 30, 2011 (6:06 pm)

      Sorry, we are grateful to Celeste for catching that and sending it so we had an early photo – I am subbing out some photos taken a little bit later at the scene.

  • w.s. maverick March 30, 2011 (5:31 pm)

    not the best spot to get in and out of that bar, very busy there

  • Genesee Hill March 30, 2011 (6:08 pm)

    Yeah, no need for traffic patrols by SPD. Everything is just great. Now just continue driving like Parnelli Jones on steroids and keep the “emphasis patrol” comments coming.

    But, I will tell ya, I laugh at you dorks as you are pulled over for speeding, or yakking, or whatever!

  • dameDonna March 30, 2011 (6:11 pm)

    OK, I don’t know if I’m lucky or unlucky today. First the SWAT team parked in my kitchen this morning when down there, and now this happens MINUTES after I leave right near there!?!? Crazy day!

  • Elikapeka March 30, 2011 (6:45 pm)

    I was headed north on 35th at the time. I didn’t see the car hit The Bridge, but the driver was an elderly woman who I noticed when she turned left out of there to head north on 35th and grazed my rear bumper. She then lurched into the inside northbound lane and stopped just short of rear ending the car stopped in that lane. I am still scratching my head over how she managed to hit the building at that angle and then pull out heading north. I had gotten out of my car to check my bumper and about that time folks came running out of The Bridge. She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that she had hit anyone. She didn’t appear to be ill, but I don’t really know what led up to her erratic driving. I had to continue downtown but did call and talk to the responding officer so they have my name and info as a witness.

  • sage March 30, 2011 (7:21 pm)

    you all are so amazing! xo way to brave a storm!

  • Genesee Hill March 30, 2011 (7:25 pm)

    If everyone, young, old, and PO’d just ups their speed by 15 or 20 MPH, everything will be all right. Have SPD call their Dodge Chargers off. Free for all!

    I am REALLY upset that there are not Jersey Barriers in the median of Interstate 35. One could increase the speed limit to at least 75 on I 35 if these barriers were installed.

    Now, JUST GET MOVIN’. FAST.

  • Elikapeka March 30, 2011 (8:28 pm)

    Genessee, this didn’t have anything to do with speed. It was an elderly driver who was clearly disoriented and confused. Could have happened anywhere, anytime, at any speed.

  • valvashon March 31, 2011 (2:34 am)

    @Elikapeka- Does the elderly driver’s name have the initials J. P.? Wondering if it is the same elderly driver that hit me two weeks ago. That woman “fits the description” as they say…

    Val

  • Gail March 31, 2011 (7:12 am)

    This was all really odd, I came from the drive thru at Taco Time and was going to pull out, but the elderly woman was pulling out from the left side of the driveway,(gave her plenty of space,because of her age) she pulled out into the left lane, veered back to the right, went thru the intersection (south on 35th) then stopped next to KFC.The car behind her honked, she veered right, up and over the curb at KFC, hit the building, then backed up, went careening back out onto 35th, in the other direction heading north this time, all of this right in front of me and everyone else headed up 35th. Weirdest thing I’d ever seen, I thought maybe something medical was happening, i.e. a stroke, or something, but she did appear unfazed, so maybe dementia, I would guess.

  • HelperMonkey March 31, 2011 (9:31 am)

    so – did she take off or did the police detain her? Hoping she has insurance. Hoping she also gets her drivers license taken away – she sounds way too dangerous to be on the roads.

  • west sea March 31, 2011 (11:58 am)

    I think someone hit this same bar a few years ago, before it was the RedLine. Can’t remember that name of it.

  • miws March 31, 2011 (12:13 pm)

    west sea, pre-Redline, the bar was known as Legends.

    .

    Mike

  • RJB March 31, 2011 (12:20 pm)

    So sad….this is a very hard thing for this person and the family to go through. Agree that it is time for this person to stop driving but…when we had to go through this with my Grandmother is was hard for all. Glad everyone is ok, but it is time for someone to intervene. Sorrry Bridge….glad it wasn’t worse. Karaoke makes everything better!!

  • leslie March 31, 2011 (12:38 pm)

    well that explains why there was no car. I was in the school bus dropping kids when a police car, following by 2 fire trucks, a medic unit, and another police car blocked the street. I was able to get by and saw the damage. Figured it was a car but didn’t see any car … glad I didn’t encounter her! Tho she would have much luck against a 40′ school bus.

  • Elikapeka March 31, 2011 (12:44 pm)

    @valvashon – I don’t know her name. I never talked to her, and since I had to get to an appointment and couldn’t stick around, I have to pick up the police report tomorrow to get her insurance info. I can let you know when I get my copy of the accident report.

    @helpermonkey – yes, she was stopped by the folks that came out of The Bridge and then the police came. I don’t think she was trying to get away, I really don’t think she was aware of what she had done. She did have insurance. The responding officer told me her family was notified, so hopefully her driving days are over.

  • Donna March 31, 2011 (2:55 pm)

    Shan the Man did a great job putting a bandaid on the building until it can be fixed. Sorry that it was an elderly woman but this is a great reason to STOP DRIVING and take a BUS before she kills someone.

  • flowerpetal March 31, 2011 (4:25 pm)

    Wouldn’t anyone look disoriented after an automobile accident? And really, there is no prescribed “look” for someone having a stroke.

    • WSB March 31, 2011 (4:27 pm)

      Which reminds me, please cease the speculation about what happened to the driver. I have not been able to get any information about the driver – happens that way sometimes with crashes – so officially, we have no idea whether she was old, young, sick, not sick, licensed, not licensed, or what, and I don’t expect to be able to find that out at this point – TR

  • Jim March 31, 2011 (6:13 pm)

    I can recall a car making it through the wall, striking the old fireplace that was in the middle of the stone room as it was known in the Pizza Pete days. That building has seen more car hits than any other in West Seattle.

  • Elikapeka April 1, 2011 (5:20 pm)

    @valvashon – I got the police report today, and it’s not the same initials as the driver who hit you.

  • valvashon April 2, 2011 (8:32 am)

    Thanks for checking. I just wanted to make sure I have all the ammo necessary in case (when) there’s an insurance fight.

Sorry, comment time is over.