(LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON: We’ve published a followup here)
2:21 AM: Now another big Seattle Fire response – this time for a crash in the 6800 block of Highland Park Way, at least one person reported to be trapped, and at least one person is reported to be undergoing CPR.
2:26 AM: Per scanner, two people are dead – “one in each car.” Original report suggested this might have started as pursuit of a stolen car. We’re headed to the scene.
2:54 AM: The crash is on “the hill” – which is blocked off at both ends, near Holden at the top, West Marginal Way SW on the bottom; the vehicles are closer to the latter, which is where we and the other media crews are being “staged,” out of camera range but our photographer reports it appears the vehicles are on the uphill side, past Pioneer Industries, one in the road and one in the shrubbery off the road. The Traffic Collision Investigation team is on the way, which means the closure will be for hours.
4:08 AM: Police have confirmed that two people were killed, and that they were trying to stop one of the vehicles before the crash, but they are not going into details of whether it was a “pursuit.” They also tell us the investigation is likely to keep the Highland Park Way hill between Holden and W. Marginal closed for at least three hours.
5:17 AM: Metro has just sent an alert about Route 131 being routed off this section of Highland Park Way. This is the third major crash on the hill in a little over one month – on March 14th, two cars collided close to the same spot as this morning’s incident, and one flipped; that was just 10 days after the flipped-car crash that broke a natural-gas line and forced 150 nearby residents to evacuate.
5:53 AM: The Medical Examiner has arrived.
No information so far on the victims’ identities, not even ages/genders. Police have continued to keep media at the bottom of the hill. Also, no update on an estimated road-reopening time, but we’re still at the scene so we’ll be able to get the information directly as soon as there’s an update.
6:08 AM: Route 131 is using Highland Park Way again. We talked with the Metro rep on scene who says the buses are using the outside downhill lane, but otherwise the hill is NOT yet open to regular traffic. Seattle Fire Ladder 11 has been summoned, likely for scene cleanup before the road’s fully reopened. And if you’re in this area and seeing/hearing a helicopter, it’s TV (which otherwise has a full complement of ground crews).
6:25 AM: Buses are being rerouted again for a while; Ladder 11 has arrived.
Still no new information about the crash itself, not even which way the vehicles were traveling when they collided (they are both on the uphill/southwestbound side, but that doesn’t mean they started there).
7:49 AM: The Medical Examiner, Traffic Collision Investigation team, and Ladder 11 are all gone. We and other media have been allowed up the hill to photograph the wrecked cars.
But we’re told it still might be another hour-plus before the road reopens, because the vehicles must be towed and debris swept up.
8:26 AM: We finally had to leave the scene so this is via scanner: Eastbound (downhill) HP Way reopening. Westbound still awaiting some final cleanup.
8:39 AM: And it’s just been announced that the sweeper’s done and the road will be open both ways. Again, we have very little information about the crash itself and will be working to get more from police as the day goes on.
ADDED 10:15 AM: Published on SPD Blotter:
Traffic Collision detectives are investigating after a man in a carjacked vehicle fled from police early Thursday and crashed into another vehicle in the (Highland Park) neighborhood, killing both drivers.
The incident began with an armed carjacking shortly before 11 PM Wednesday in the 1500 block of South State Street, where three suspects stole a man’s 2002 Honda Accord at gunpoint and fled.
Around 2 AM, an officer on patrol in West Seattle saw the Honda, occupied by one man, near the Southwest Precinct and began following behind while radioing for additional units. When additional officers arrived, the officer activated her emergency lights in an attempt to pull over the Honda.
The suspect fled from police at high speed and collided with another vehicle in the 6800 block of Highland Park Way SW. The other car was driven by an adult male. The officers attempted to provide life-saving aid to both drivers of the two vehicles and called for Seattle Fire Department medics.
Unfortunately, both drivers died at the scene.
Detectives from SPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad are processing the collision scene and have recovered a handgun from the carjacked vehicle. Robbery Unit detectives are also investigating the initial carjacking incident.
The department’s Pursuit Review Board will conduct a review of the incident following the completion of the investigation.
4:43 PM: We have just published a followup with dashcam video SPD has released from the pursuit that preceded the crash (ending as the officer arrives at the crash scene) and other new information. See it here.
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