Fairmount Ravine incident followup: Community ‘Run to REFLECT’ planned; updates from hospital, police

| Crime | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Saturday morning)
Two days after two West Seattle women found a fellow runner unconscious, badly hurt, along the road through Fairmount Ravine, three updates, including an event planned to show support for the victim and for residents who have long been concerned about safety in that area:

THE VICTIM: The 54-year-old victim remains in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center, where she has been since Saturday; Harborview says she is in serious condition. As we first reported that morning, she was found on Fairmount Avenue, near the underside of the Admiral Way Bridge, around 7 am. Police suspect she was hit by a vehicle, or someone in or on a vehicle, but one thing known for sure – whomever did it, just left her there.

THE INVESTIGATION: We checked with SPD a short time ago; nothing new to announce, they tell us, but they want to renew this call:

Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect, or if you saw any vehicle in that area between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. [Saturday 6/8] please call Detective Korner at (206) 684-8927. Anonymous tips are welcome.

You also can call 911 with any information.

THE RUN: The two Good Samaritans who found the victim have organized a community gathering and run for this Saturday morning to show support. Here’s the announcement from Athena Frederick and Julie Ambrose:

In light of the horrific event on Saturday, June 8th, we are hosting a Run to REFLECT….

We will meet at the bottom of Fairmount (on the Alki Beach side near Salty’s) starting at 6:30 am. Please bring some type of reflective gear, object, caution cone, etc. to donate (you may be able to retrieve it after Saturday, but not guaranteed). We will be placing these reflective items along the side of the road going up through Fairmount. Please feel free to bring them even earlier than 6:30am. Businesses that would like to donate any reflective type gear, please contact us. We are doing this to raise awareness over the weekend for drivers to SLOW DOWN on that stretch of road.

Starting at 7 am, we will run a 5K on Alki to show our support of the 54-year-old woman and her family. Please invite friends, family and join us to either “light up Fairmount” OR for the 5K run or walk. Hope to see you there and my thoughts & prayers go out to the victim and her family!!

Here’s the Facebook event page, which you can use to contact them if you’re a business interested in donating the items mentioned above, or if you have questions, or just to RSVP (though that’s not required).

Kayleigh June 10, 2013 (3:27 pm)

Nice to see something positive in response to this incident. Thank you!

kumalavula June 10, 2013 (3:43 pm)

I’m so glad to see people taking action after what happened. I work and know people who live in the ravine area and I walk down along the water so know/recognize a lot of the usual people out at that time of morning. I hope the victim improves and that her family knows the community is supportive if change along the length of the ravine. thanks to the two women who did the right thing sat am and are continuing to model for west seattleites what should be done.

Alki Mkay June 10, 2013 (4:48 pm)

I’m dumbfounded, that someone would hit a person and just keep driving. My thoughts and prayers are with the victim for a speedy recovery. Hopefully we can all reflect on some of our own perhaps questionable driving habits, and let us let this serve as a reminder to how fragile life is, and how deadly our automobiles can be.

Ishppl June 10, 2013 (5:21 pm)

What’s the date for the run?

WSB June 10, 2013 (5:25 pm)

Saturday is 6/15.

G June 10, 2013 (7:45 pm)

Best wishes on her recovery, it was a despicable act to leave her there. Folks, this is a dangerous place to jog or walk. I’ve had some close calls walking there mainly because in large parts there is no place to go when a car is coming.

NW June 10, 2013 (10:00 pm)

Don’t walk run or jog down this ravine period .

themightyrabbit June 10, 2013 (11:12 pm)

I don’t like to ride my bicycle on this stretch of road at all. Always felt unsafe on it. Since the mid 90’s when I moved in. And I ride 1000’s of miles a year. Really hope they find the perpetrator and prosecute to the max.

on Fairmount June 11, 2013 (6:38 am)

Hi we live in the ravine. Please read **Third** below.

First, our family continues to keep the injured lady in our thoughts. Hope she recovers.

Second, thank you to the two ladies who stepped up last Saturday and are now organizing this Saturday’s events. We who live in the ravine so appreciate your concern and active help to try to get drivers to slow down.

**Third** Do any of you have advice about whether to get the city involved in slowing cars down? And if so, how can it be done? A round-about was put at the top of the ravine. OK, good. With private money, neighbors paid for the two speed bumps where people live in the ravine and got the mph speed down to 15 on signs. We want to protect all who use the street, so… signage, more bumps? Start with a traffic study at the top and bottom of the hill (strips that measure traffic and speed)?

miws June 11, 2013 (7:34 am)

on Fairmount, you might want to start here, if you haven’t already visited this page:

http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ntcp_calming.htm

I skimmed over it very quickly, but did notice it addresses one option I was thinking of; the neighborhood borrowing SDOT’s radar gun, to clock the speed of drivers.

That option, of course, requires active participation by neighbors, which in my mind may have the added effect of letting drivers, and especially reckless/speeding ones know, that the neighborhood is keeping an eye on them.

Other than the radar gun option, perhaps one of the portable speed signs that are often seen in various ares?

Good luck on this.

Mike

NW June 11, 2013 (8:10 am)

Good idea might be to return the southend to a green scape closed to traffic completely and the other end for “Local Access Only” with dead end signs

Raincity June 11, 2013 (8:52 am)

Maybe it becomes on direction only and the extra width is used to create a physical separation for peds?

Norma June 11, 2013 (11:25 am)

Closing off the street might be a problem for emergency vehicle access. Perhaps a running path at a higher elevation where it’s possible and a cautionary signs directing runners and walkers to use the path instead of the road. I think bicyclists need to stay on the road though. Always, always, run with a partner in a secluded spot like the ravine. I’ve walked it alone many times but I know I was really taking a chance doing it.

Concerned June 13, 2013 (8:16 am)

Any updates on this? Is the victim still in the hospital? Been thinking of her & praying all week … And will continue to do so until she’s home & healing.

James G June 13, 2013 (11:05 am)

I am a member of the family of this victim. Please let me thank you for the family, for your kind support. It is humbly accepted and returned with love for you all!

The victim (I’ll call her Red), is slowly improving. She has been moved from ICU to accute care. She opened her eyes on Monday. She recalled her name and recognized family for the first time on WED.

She suffered a head injury, and an adominal injury. plus road rash. Thankfully, no broken bones. She had surgery on sat afternoon.

Thank you again for your concern and prayers.
I will attend the run and take some pictures for Red so she can see your love!!

WSB June 13, 2013 (11:11 am)

James – thank you for the update. That is more than I would have found out asking through the hospital media-relations folks today, and I wanted to check so we could remind people of the run. Will re-publish this as part of the forthcoming story. – Tracy

Sorry, comment time is over.