UPDATE: 3 hurt in 2-car crash on West Marginal Way; 1 driver arrested

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(WSB photo)

9:01 PM: Seattle Fire and Police have a big emergency response right now in the 4900 block of West Marginal Way SW [map]. Two cars have collided and someone believed to be seriously hurt will have to be cut out of one of them, according to what we’re hearing on the scanner. Part of the road is blocked; we’re on our way to find out more.

9:21 PM: We’ve just arrived in the area. Big emergency response still across most of the road. Three people are reported to be hurt.

extricating
(Seattle Fire Department photo, via Twitter)

9:34 PM: One person with major injuries – the one who had to be cut out of the car that hit a pole – was taken to Harborview by SFD medic unit, two others by private ambulance. The Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is on the way, which means the road will be blocked for hours – all lanes are now blocked. Power lines are down on the roadway, too.

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(WSB photo)

9:48 PM: No comment from police so far on what might have led to the collision. City Light is here to deal with the utility pole and downed lines.

5:37 AM: No formal all-clear was ever issued for this but it’s no longer on SDOT’s incident map; if you go through the area and find it’s not clear, please let us know.

11:08 AM: We have just confirmed with police that this crash resulted in an arrest. The 19-year-old driver of the Audi was released from the hospital early this morning and booked into King County Jail for investigation of vehicular assault. His bail hearing is not likely to be held until tomorrow; we will follow the case.

17 Replies to "UPDATE: 3 hurt in 2-car crash on West Marginal Way; 1 driver arrested"

  • Amy Thomson November 1, 2016 (9:11 pm)

    Another serious accident on West Marginal Way.  Seems to happen at least once a year, usually in wet, nasty weather.  I hope the people in the car are safe and unhurt.  Please drive carefully, folks.  West marginal is not a freeway, and people drive way too fast for the road.

    • Kathy November 2, 2016 (9:29 am)

      If it’s not a freeway, then why is it designed like a freeway? Do traffic volumes on this stretch really require 4 traffic lanes other than at the intersections? It’s obviously a drag race magnet. 

      • WSB November 2, 2016 (9:38 am)

        West Marginal is a major corridor on the Freight Master Plan, and unlike Fauntleroy, which is the other one on the map, West Marginal is actually home to a variety of major industrial businesses, so narrowing it probably won’t happen – don’t know what else could be done.

      • Cathy November 2, 2016 (10:01 am)

        The speed limit is 40, and in the stretch with the S curves when it’s wet or icy it’s best to go even slower. People that work in the 4800 block have seen a lot of accidents over the years, as have the officers who work that district.

    • bryan willis November 13, 2016 (5:18 pm)

      It’s not the road,I am out there everyday on the job,people follow too close ,always on the stupid phone;I live in fear of these idiots everyday.

  • Johnny November 1, 2016 (9:57 pm)

    I was listening to the scanner about a different incident, but happened to catch this call from the beginning. Witnesses reported to officers that it appeared as if the two cars had been racing or at least traveling  at high speed together when one car lost control and took out the other car. 

    • Amy Thomson November 2, 2016 (6:19 am)

      Sadly, I’m not surprised to hear that they were racing.  I hear gunning engines and screaming gears all the time on West Marginal.  I wish the cops would crack down on it.  I’m  afraid that one night they’ll hit a member of my family or a neighbor!

  • AMD November 1, 2016 (10:01 pm)

    I think this one is further down from the usual spot, on the flat stretch.

    Sending prayers for swift healing to those involved in the accident.

  • JC November 1, 2016 (10:01 pm)

    An area that I always try my best to avoid in part to all kinds of accidents especially that back hill. Sending get well wishes to those involved. 

  • Alki Resident November 1, 2016 (11:56 pm)

    This is my friends son who was the driver and was cut out of car. Please pray. 

  • Cathy November 2, 2016 (7:21 am)

    Hah. Funny, but not funny. The building just to the south that’s shown in the Google street view. Drive by now and look at the huge chunk of fence damaged early Monday morning by a driver who lost control.         

  • FM November 2, 2016 (1:03 pm)

    This is a family member  of mine who was injured in the other vehicle. The driver of the vehicle that was hit was not part of a drag race. The other car was racing at over 70mph and hit her head on. 

    • WSB November 2, 2016 (1:39 pm)

      FM, thank you. All we know for certain is that two vehicles were involved, three people were hurt, and one of them – the 19-year-old who police say was driving the Audi – was booked into jail after being released from the hospital. His bail hearing is tomorrow and after that we will have access to probable-cause documents detailing what police believe happened. – TR

  • KD November 2, 2016 (3:34 pm)

    FM.. my heart and prayers go out to your family, the nightmare that an innocent has to endure, but my anger goes out to all those that earlier this summer on this blog and on our Nextdoor Neifhborhood App kept chiming in and defending ‘the racing’ and it is harmless fun and they did it when they were young, so on and so on. You all remind me of the defenders of Trump saying his sexual harassment and groping is harmless school boy fun. Yeah right.. unless it happens to you! How about helping this lady and her family now because of the drag racing fun? You go to the hospital. You go pay the bills. You go do her job or school(whichever she had) etc. A lot of the defenders up on the hill, especially HP made fun of all of us saying we’re sick of the noise and the possible danger. How you gonna fix this poor woman’s life now? We all have to drive along there sometime, and I also have been stuck behind a swarm of these ILLEGAL racers not able to get out of a side street. Where’s your ‘harmless’ opinions now? Go help this poor lady.

  • DRE November 2, 2016 (3:44 pm)

    Praying for you Miguel!! Stay strong!!

  • West Seattle Hipster November 2, 2016 (7:43 pm)

    Prayers for the victim.

  • WestCake November 2, 2016 (10:33 pm)

    I was on this road around 9pm last night headed to the airport and had an encounter with this driver. A truck was in the left lane south bound. I was in the right lane. The Audi used the middle of the road at a high rate of speed to make a pass. I came back later after the airport run and the road was closed, I had to go around. 

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