FOLLOWUP: Meet West Seattle firefighter Felton Tate, who helped police find a suspected DUI hit-run driver

Last Wednesday, we brought you the story of a hit-run crash right outside Fire Station 32 in The Triangle, with an arrest made because a firefighter saw the driver leaving the scene and gave information to police. Today, we got to talk with that firefighter, Felton Tate. He explained that even as he and his colleagues rushed to help the woman injured by the driver, he spotted the suspect’s vehicle:

We don’t know how the 34-year-old victim is doing – her dog was not hurt in the Tuesday night incident, Tate said – but online records show that the 26-year-old driver arrested for suspected DUI and hit-run spent a day and a half in jail before posting bond and being released on Thursday. Meantime – when SFD answered our original inquiry last week, they described Tate as a “new firefighter” just out of probation; that means, we learned today, he’s been a firefighter for a year. Currently he’s assigned to Engine 32, which is based at Station 32 along with three other vehicles and their crews – Ladder 11, Medic 32, and Battalion 7. He explains he wanted to be a firefighter ever since he was a kid, impressed by firefighters who responded to a kitchen fire at his grandma’s house, saying he never forgot how “helpful” they were.

4 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: Meet West Seattle firefighter Felton Tate, who helped police find a suspected DUI hit-run driver"

  • NW September 2, 2018 (8:07 pm)

    Thank you for your service Mr.Tate

  • CanDo September 2, 2018 (10:02 pm)

    Thanks for doing a great job firefighter Tate.  We are happy you work in West Seattle!

  • steve September 4, 2018 (10:30 pm)

    Above and beyond the call of duty!

  • Roxanne September 5, 2018 (10:35 am)

    This is why living in West Seattle can be amazing.  Most of us who live and/or work here want to care for and protect our neighborhood.Thank you firefighter Tate for being an awesome example.  You make us proud!

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