West Seattle, Washington
04 Wednesday
The big orange dot on that Seattle City Light-provided map marks the next spot where the utility will be installing a taller pole to facilitate its future switch to automated, wireless metering. The announcement includes this information:
Seattle City Light continues to support Advanced Metering services throughout the utility’s service territory by replacing existing utility poles with taller poles, which will host wireless utility data collection equipment. The new poles will be 70 feet tall, which is about 20 feet taller than the existing poles. … Affected customers have received the same information …
In February 2017, crews will be replacing poles in the following areas:
· Lake City / North Seattle (NE 125th Street)
· South Lake Union (Pontius Avenue N)
· Othello Park (43rd Avenue S)
· West Seattle / Junction (SW Edmunds Street)Project Highlights:
· This project is part of the communications network to support Advanced Metering, which will automate meter reading and enable enhanced services.
· There are no maintenance power outages planned for this work. Some traffic and parking impacts are expected in the immediate work areas. Crews will be careful to maintain access to driveways.
· Daily work hours are from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In most instances, the work to transfer existing equipment and install the data collection equipment can be completed in one day.
Three areas of West Seattle are getting the taller poles this month, as previewed here in December.
The two men arrested in connection with Sunday’s theft of the ATM from the West Seattle Junction US Bank are now charged, and the court documents fill in some of the information we didn’t have in our followup after their bail hearing on Monday.
The suspects are 28-year-old Nathaniel Grier of Shoreline and 35-year-old Joseph Annable of Sammamish. Both are charged with 2nd-degree burglary, 1st-degree theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, and attempting to elude police.
The documents confirm that the forklift left behind at the bank, worth $4,000, and shown in our photo above, was stolen from Junction True Value a block west, and reveal that the cargo van found with the ATM inside was stolen from the University of Washington Bookstore. The charging papers also say the ATM contained at least $45,000 when stolen, but the suspects apparently were unable to get into it. The pursuit that led to the arrests on Sunday, hours after the West Seattle theft, was “called off several times,” the charging documents reveal, because of how dangerous it got to be, crossing several jurisdictions, with the stolen van at one point swerving toward a state trooper who was assisting someone at roadside.
Grier’s bail is set at $205,000; his criminal history goes back at least 13 years, and he is said to have confessed to at least eight thefts, four “successful.” Annable’s bail is set at $75,000; he does not have any recent criminal history. They are scheduled for arraignment (to answer the charges) on February 8th.
Story and photos by Linda Ball
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The green sign on the door at John’s Corner Deli (7500 35th SW) is a fond farewell to customers of Christina Yun and her brother Peter Choo. The pair bought the deli four years ago, their first venture into entrepreneurialism. With no other employees, keeping the store open from 7 am to 9 pm seven days a week, they’ve worked long, hard hours.
“I enjoyed it,” Yun said. “I learned a lot. I love my customers and my neighbors.”
But it ends February 1, since the owners of the property, Clearview Eye and Laser, have other plans. Read More
2:56 PM: Just announced by Washington State Ferries: Its new Triangle Improvement Task Force will have its first meeting in Fauntleroy, 7 pm next Monday (January 30th). The public’s welcome, according to the WSF announcement about the debut of this nine-member citizen advisory committee, the next step in a process of trying to fix problems on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route. Monday’s meeting is at the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall (9140 California SW).
5:22 PM: We asked WSF who’s on the task force. While the list isn’t online yet, spokesperson Brian Mannion provided the roster:
Fauntleroy
Kathleen Stephanick
Margaret Clements
Gary Dawson, FACSouthworth
Kym Shepherd
Richard Wheeler
Tim O’Mahony, FAC (Alternate FAC representative: Andrew Hamilton)Vashon
Steven Merkel
Hugh Turner
Greg Beardsley, FAC (Alternate FAC representative: Jan Stephens)
2:29 PM: Just in: The ruling in the appeal of a city decision allowing a “historic lot exception” for a house to be built at 3038 39th SW, on a site that holds an “exceptional” tree that neighbors hoped to see preserved.
Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner, ruling 13 days after the case was argued in her chambers (WSB coverage here), has upheld the city decision, saying that appellant Lisa Parriott and supporters “have not met their burden of proving that the (Department of Construction and Inspections) interpretation was clearly erroneous, and it should therefore be affirmed.” We’re requesting reaction and will add whatever we get.
4:32 PM: We’ve just spoken with Lisa Parriott, who tells us, “We’re disappointed, obviously” and “evaluating all possible paths, including Superior Court.”
11:26 AM: We’re at Bellevue Police HQ as BPD and Seattle Police go public with more details about the “high-end burglary ring” linked to the two Alki arrests we covered back on Monday.
They’re talking behind a table covered with what they say is seized loot – cash, jewelry, purses, more. They say the victims include Seattle Mariners star Felix Hernandez. (Added – What was taken from him included a keepsake watch:)
They say the burglaries happened starting in April 2016. “The thieves would use luxury automobiles to commit their crimes in an attempt to blend in with the neighborhood traffic …” Here’s a map of some of the incidents:
The arrests in the 3200 block of 62nd SW followed a nine-month investigation involving Bellevue, Seattle, Kirkland, Medina, and Clyde Hill Police, according to the information we’ve received so far, even before the briefing (which we’re recording on video) begins.
Police say the three suspects are expected to “be charged today with numerous counts of burglary” and are identifying them as 23-year-old Alonzo Severson, 26-year-old Joseph Sims, and 29-year-old Shon Shanell.
11:33 AM: The briefing has begun, with Bellevue Police‘s chief saying the two people arrested in West Seattle were the “two remaining members of the Rock Smash Burglary Crew.” He says the items stolen by the ring totaled at least $3 million in value, taken in the course of “at least 123 residential burglaries.”
They worked in daylight and “often defeated (alarm systems).” The chief says they won’t elaborate on how they tracked down the suspects, but that police spent “hundreds of hours” doing that. He says they have recovered at least $400,000 in stolen items, and that the suspects seem to have motivated just by “greed,” and lived it up on the spoils of what was stolen.
Deputy Chief Carmen Best from Seattle PD says “these are significant arrests” and that they don’t believe any other suspects are on the loose.
The police leaders here say that breaking the case started with discovery of a phone in a Mercer Island yard – the citizen who found it turned it in to police, who made note of a call that came to the phone, and it rolled on from there, exemplifying the “if you see something, say something” philosophy.
11:44 AM: We asked the first question, about how the suspects arrested in West Seattle were linked to the house in Alki where they were found. Police wouldn’t elaborate on that but they said these suspects “were very good at what they did” and that investigators were often just a step or two behind – the suspects apparently even did “counter-surveillance.” But one of the suspects arrested at the Alki house, they say, Shon Shanell, allegedly was wearing a wristwatch among the items stolen from Mariners player Hernandez.
In some of the burglaries, police believe the burglars were armed, and they say that in some incidents, residents were home when the burglaries happened.
Other details as the Q/A section goes – some of the handbags being shown here among recovered loot are worth tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars.
They’re looking at safe-deposit boxes and storage facilities to see if they can recover even more of what was stolen.
Another local note – we don’t know yet if any of the burglaries happened in West Seattle (that section of the map, above, is covered by its legend), or if the arrest location is the only link.
The suspect that was arrested elsewhere was taken into custody after leaving jail about a week ago following a hold in connection with a Department of Corrections warrant, per the Bellevue chief.
11:59 AM: The Q/A has wrapped up and police are taking us and the other media crews to see the vehicles they have seized in relation to this – “five luxury cars” are mentioned in the news release. We’re also checking on the suspects’ status – Shanel is being held without bail; Severson is being held on half a million dollars bail and is listed as having been charged already; Sims is being held without bail.
12:23 PM: Here are the vehicles. BPD tells us the Audi is the one they seized at the arrest location on Alki.
While the cars were not stolen, we’re told, they are believed to have been bought with money resulting from the crimes.
12:39 PM: Reading the charges already filed against Severson, the evidence includes a monitoring bracelet he had to wear from another case, allegedly placing him inside some of the burglarized homes. The jail register shows he has been in since January 12th, meaning that the two arrested in Alki are Shanell and Sims.
ADDED 9:36 PM: We’ve added more photos inline above, and right above this line is our video of the entire briefing.
Busy news day in progress but we don’t want to go without these reminders of what’s happening in the hours ahead:
SENIOR POTLUCK AT THE Y: The expansion/grand-reopening celebration continues at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) with a food-and-fellowship potluck, noon-1:30 pm today.
BENEFIT FOR BRITT RUSSELL: As mentioned earlier this week, you can dine out at seven West Seattle restaurants tonight and have a portion of what you spend go to help Britt Russell, hit by a driver in November while on her way to work at Mission Cantina (2325 California SW). Mission organized the fundraiser – with a silent auction 6-10 pm as well as the dine-out component – and the six others that have joined are:
Circa is at 2605 California SW
Peel & Press (WSB sponsor) is at 6503 California SW
The Westy is at 7908 35th SW
The Bridge is at 6301 California SW
Copper Coin is at 2329 California SW
West 5 is at 4539 California SW
‘STATE OF DELRIDGE’: Several community councils are co-sponsoring City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s speech about eastern West Seattle issues during tonight’s 7 pm Highland Park Action Committee meeting at HP Improvement Club. (12th SW/SW Holden)
LADIES’ NIGHT AT WEST SEATTLE RUNNER: 7-9 pm (or come early for tonight’s 6:15 pm group run) – everything from bras to injury prevention is on the list of what’s happening at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) tonight. Free. (2743 California SW)
POEMS AND STORIES: Monthly event at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), with featured readers Janet Yoder and David Fewster, plus a community microphone – details here. (5612 California SW)
SEE OUR COMPLETE CALENDAR for even more!
Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes this morning:
GUNFIRE ON PIGEON POINT: Last night before midnight (while we were covering the “heavy rescue” crash in North Admiral), we heard police dispatched to reports of possible gunfire on Pigeon Point/North Delridge. This morning, a reader reports seeing a car with shot-out windows near 23rd and Andover, and we’ve just obtained details from SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson:
Last night, just after 11:00 pm, officers responded to several calls of shots fired in area of 23 Ave SW/SW Andover. Officers contacted witnesses who heard the shots. One person said they witnessed shots coming from a white car, another person stated it was a black car. Officers located a parked car in the 4000 block 23 Ave SW that had been struck by bullets. Officers found one shell casing and one bullet fragment near the intersection of 23/Andover.
No injuries were reported.
ARBOR HEIGHTS SUSPECT OUT: The man arrested after the Arbor Heights search on Monday morning, 28-year-old Matthew Melzer, is out of jail this morning after a plea bargain. According to Municipal Court records and the King County Jail Register, Melzer was cited for two counts of second-degree criminal trespassing (a misdemeanor) and pleaded guilty to one; the other was dropped and he was credited for time served, then released from jail at 8 am today.
READER REPORT – CAR PROWL: Just out of the inbox, from Jon:
I live between California Ave and 44th Street just off SW Hinds St. I awoke this morning to find my truck light on. Upon closer inspection, it appears that someone had rummaged through my truck as the console was open and things were strewn about the cab. Nothing appears to have been taken (as I don’t leave anything of value in there), but it’s frustrating nonetheless. If you live nearby, please keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
FOLLOWUP TODAY ON BELLEVUE POLICE’S ALKI RAID: Thanks to tips, we reported Monday on Bellevue Police arresting 2 at a house on 62nd SW. BPD told us it was related to a “series of burglaries” around the region and that more info would be forthcoming. Check back here on WSB later today, because we’re expecting to have that info soon – BPD is hosting a media briefing, with its police chief and Seattle PD Chief Kathleen O’Toole, at 11:30 am, announced with the intent “to discuss the dismantling of a major burglary ring in the region. The investigation that will be discussed is believed to be the largest burglary ring case in terms of loss value in the history of the city of Bellevue. Recovered stolen property and several seized vehicles will be on display. Some of the recovered items on display were stolen from a notable sports figure.” We’ll be there.
(ADDED) STOLEN TRAILER: As mentioned in the WSB Forums – be on the lookout:
2008, white, 5×7 TNT cargo trailer. Stolen from Fauntleroy & Othello between Tues Jan 24 9pm- Weds Jan 25 8am
No distinguishing marks or pictures, unfortunately. Lic # 7052VJ Washington
The trailer is completely FULL with my trade show display for working at the home & garden shows (backdrop, shelves, cookware)
Call police if you see it.
Just in case you haven’t already heard: West Seattle High School is inviting everyone in the community to a film screening they’re hosting next Tuesday night (January 31st). The film is “Most Likely to Succeed,” and you can watch the trailer above. Assistant WSHS principal Garth Reeves tells WSB it “profiles a particularly innovative school, High Tech High, in San Diego, and their parent/student community, in re-imagining what high school could and should be in preparing students for the 21st century.” According to the announcement on the WSHS website, the film will be followed by a chance to talk with “a panel of local and state education innovators.” Reeves adds, “These conversations and ideas have resonance and impact for all of us.” You’re invited to RSVP via this page, which has the schedule for the night – come early for coffee/dessert at 6:30, see the film at 7, talk at 8:30.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Many of SDOT’s cameras in the area aren’t working this morning – above, three of the few that are)
7 AM: Good morning! No incidents, or transit changes, reported in/from West Seattle so far.
7:52 PM Just went by the scene of last night’s crash to be sure it’s open again – it is.
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