UPDATE: DUI suspected in 2-car collision on Sylvan Way

| Crime | High Point | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

8:07 AM: Seattle Fire and Police are at the scene of a crash in the 6700 block of 30th SW [map] in High Point. SFD says two people need to be extricated. Three medic units have been dispatched. More shortly.

8:18 AM: Metro has sent an alert that Route 128 is routed off Sylvan because of the crash. Per scanner, the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is responding to this, which means the scene will be closed for a few hours.

8:21 AM: Per scanner, two people are being taken to Harborview. Metro has routed Route 128 off Sylvan Way.

8:27 AM: Photo added – this is a two-car collision on Sylvan Way. Our crew was told a third person was taken to a hospital via private ambulance, and has confirmed that TCI is responding.

10:37 AM: The street shouldn’t be closed too much longer – per scanner, we just heard that the tow trucks have arrived and SDOT’s Incident Response Team is being requested to return for scene cleanup.

11:58 AM: Just confirmed firsthand that Sylvan has reopened and tge 128 is back on its regular route.

2:10 PM: As noted in comments and now confirmed by this SPD Blotter update, DUI is suspected; police arrested the 33-year-old woman driving the silver car.

Trickycoolj December 26, 2018 (9:12 am)

3rd serious collision here since Thanksgiving. Wish they could do something. I hope these people are ok investigation squad is never a good sign.

WSB December 26, 2018 (9:19 am)

In this case – like the crash further east – there is a preliminary indication of DUI suspicion. (That also would factor into TCI dispatch.) Will be updating the story if and when that’s confirmed. – TR

Mike Lindblom December 26, 2018 (9:46 am)

Thanks TR for keeping the neighborhood informed.

waikikigirl December 26, 2018 (11:14 am)

OMG that accident looks terrible…hope everyone recovers and also remembers…not to ever drive impaired again if this is the case.

~hockeywitch~ December 26, 2018 (11:19 am)

I’ve lived on the corner of 35th and Morgan since 1993 and I can’t recall so many accidents on that section of street. Seems like lately there is one every few days/weeks. Craziness… All the sirens woke me up this morning, which was a good thing as my alarm didn’t go off, but hate that people were hurt, especially by a potential Drunk Driver..Please don’t drink and drive…so many ways to get home..Uber, Lyft, metro, a cab.. call a friend or family member..

~hockeywitch~ December 26, 2018 (5:20 pm)

Thanks for the update. Glad the other drivers injuries weren’t life threatening.. hope he recovers quickly.As for the impaired driver… Your friend now has life threatening injuries due to poor poor judgement.. hope she makes it. How awful. One time is too many times to drive impaired. So sad.

Gordon Griffiths December 26, 2018 (1:08 pm)

People drive like maniacs around High Point-serious tire screeching to the point where it wears down the asphalt. There’s a need for more traffic calming in the area. Also, a traffic signal is needed at 35th Ave SW and SW Juneau St, where there are frequent crashes and the occasional fatality.

chemist December 26, 2018 (2:19 pm)

There’s a signal a block up or down 35th in either direction, but Juneau is slated for turn pockets and turn restrictions from Juneau. Of note, through lanes on arterials are normally an 11 ft standard by the seattle right of way design manual section 4.6 https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDOT/VisionZero/Outreach_35thJuneau_v3.pdf
- Jon Wright December 26, 2018 (3:50 pm)
  
  Left turn lanes from 35th to Juneau and no left turn signs from Juneau to 35th are already in place.
- Gordon Griffiths December 27, 2018 (8:51 am)
  
  Those Right Turn Only signs are a joke: a half-baked attempt to solve a serious problem CHEAPLY. Nobody is obeying those signs, first of all. Second, why are there lights at 35th & Brandon and Graham Streets WHICH DONT GO THROUGH TO DELRIDGE? People use Juneau St as an Arterial, I regret to inform you.

Beth December 26, 2018 (2:13 pm)

100% preventable!

Matt December 26, 2018 (2:31 pm)

We need more traffic enforcement in general. The reasoning that it doesn’t happen is always “we don’t have enough money”. If a cop was hired to only write cell phone tickets, that person should EASILY be able to cover the costs, if they can’t they should be replaced by an employee who can. Just like any other business. Same thing could be said about blinkers, not stopping at stop signs, etc.

Vanessa December 26, 2018 (2:33 pm)

I’ve never understood why there isn’t such a thing as “Street patrol officers”, not full on Police Officers. They would monitor drivers and award speeding tickets and bad driver violations. Just think about how much money that would generate for the city.

Seattlite December 26, 2018 (4:11 pm)

Vanessa — From what I’ve read in several articles, SPD has police officer shortage. Police officers are leaving SPD, not applying.
Q December 26, 2018 (4:14 pm)

Exactly, we have a dedicated parking enforcement division that actually gets things done, there should be a traffic control division that would easily be self funding. Private automobile driving scofflaws are creating a huge public safety hazard that has gone on too long.

Matt December 26, 2018 (2:33 pm)

I see people cross the double lines going around corners all the time. Seems like a habit for a lot of people.

J December 26, 2018 (3:06 pm)

Well that gal just ruined her life for a little while.

KM December 26, 2018 (5:25 pm)

Maybe. Traffic violence, DUIs and distracted driving not taken seriously in our state, even when there are injuries or deaths.
- Lisab December 26, 2018 (6:31 pm)
  
  They should be taken much more serious. Hope for a speedy recovery for the innocent involved.Hope she faces heavy consequences.
- Steve December 27, 2018 (1:19 am)
  
  You said dui’s and distracted driving are not taken seriously in our state? Im sorry to say, that is very far from truth. DuI’s are taken very seriously in our state, but especially in Seattle city limits. They dont f’around in Sesttle Municipal with DUIs. I know this from family that has gone through DUI proceedings in Seattle Muni and watched as a prosecutor tried to get a 20,000 dollar bail for a family member of mine, who had a small history of crimes that were over 15 years old. Then they proceeded to want 3 months in jail for it. Yes, it was his 2nd in his lifetime, but as I said, he had not even got a speeding ticket in over 15 years, so dont think the courts in Seattle are not busting the balls of DUI drivers. Its just not true.
  - newnative December 27, 2018 (9:25 am)
    
    If you are free to drive after a DUI, then the laws are too lax.
- Steve December 27, 2018 (3:26 am)
  
  KM Get a DUI and see how wrong you are.
  - Lisab December 27, 2018 (9:55 am)
    
    Sounds like you condone DUI and think they should be like a littering fine.

wscommuter December 26, 2018 (3:40 pm)

@ Matt and Vanessa … that isn’t how law enforcement works. Police don’t do cost/benefit analysis to determine profitability for law enforcement. And “street patrol officers”, who are apparently to be something less than full on police, would face the exact same risks in pulling over drivers – not knowing if that person has a warrant out, or is otherwise somehow dangerous – are you seriously suggesting that this plan is at all wise for police? Think things through folks.

Jort December 26, 2018 (6:25 pm)

Great point, WSCOMMUTER. That’s why I support a change in state law so that we can automate the enforcement of driving laws using cameras and sensors. This will free up our police to be in our neighborhoods and interacting with our community instead of writing speeding tickets for drivers who can’t help themselves when it comes to flagrantly breaking the law. I would love to see some speed cameras on Sylvan Way. I assure you they would pay for themselves within hours.
Matt December 27, 2018 (7:57 am)

Are you really saying it’s too dangerous to enforce a blinker or cell phone law? I don’t feel as though it’s so dangerous out there as you imply that there can’t be dedicated traffic cops. If it’s a felony stop they call for backup. Do I get to pick and choose parts of my job that are less dangerous than other parts and not do the dangerous ones? What do you think my boss would say to that?
- dflt December 27, 2018 (1:54 pm)
  
  Your idiocy is showing.

KD December 26, 2018 (6:54 pm)

Sadly, it looks like the black truck is a work truck. Probably some person just trying to go to work at that time of the morning. I hope it’s a company or fleet truck and not some independent person just doing the responsible thing of going to work. (Why would someone be that DUI that early in the morning? I know.. dumb question, so many variables.)

AJP December 26, 2018 (10:52 pm)

Depending on when you stop drinking the night (or early morning) before, how much alcohol you had in your system, and how your body metabolizes it, you can still be at .08 six to eight hours after your last drink. A lot of people don’t know this, they think one to three hours is enough time, and it’s not.

Yessir December 27, 2018 (4:09 am)

Jort. How will sensor’s and camera’s stop impared drivers?

Q December 27, 2018 (1:02 pm)

Mandatory ignition interlock and drivers license scanners on every car. The technology has existed for some time but hasn’t been put into place because “Merica Freedom and Cars” trumps public safety for some reason.

Rick December 27, 2018 (8:52 am)

As soon as the war on cars has been won, this will all be moot. I know (sarcasm).

Mj December 27, 2018 (9:56 am)

Impaired and distracted driving are the critical traffic safety issues that need to be vigorously enforced. I continue to see people talking and texting on their phones when driving that is illegal. Impaired driving needs to stop, especially with uber and other options available to get home safe without hurting an innocent party.

Lola December 27, 2018 (11:47 am)

Steve,Did you read about the guy who hit the gal on Rainier Ave So on her Bicycle, she was in a coma for 7 weeks before she just died recently, and get this it was the guys 6th DUI. Not 1, Not 2, Not 3 but 6th DUI. Really how can someone have 6 DUI’S. It does not seem like Seattle cares about DUI’S at all.

dsa December 27, 2018 (12:15 pm)

DUI at that time in the morning always makes me wonder whats going on. I hope this will be her wake up call.

Q December 27, 2018 (4:19 pm)

Alcoholism isn’t for weekends or holidays or parties, true drunks are too drunk to drive one hundred percent of the time.

Yessir December 27, 2018 (12:16 pm)

DUI/distracted driving continues because deep down NOBODY CARES. You’re “too busy” to go to city council chambers/Olympia and lobby for tougher laws. You’re “too busy” to get signatures on an initiative petition. You’re barely able to find the time to blog. The REAL reason? You have, or will drive distracted or impared. You’re afraid that YOU will be impacted. Not just “those other’s”

98126res December 27, 2018 (3:15 pm)

Sylvan Way is a traffic hazard. Too many speeders, too many terrible accidents. I hope SDOT or WDOT.. whomever takes a hard look and MAKES CHANGES to slow cars down.

Pedro j gomez December 30, 2018 (1:38 am)

God bless all the nurses doctors and technicians at harborview hospital, they treated me like a new born baby. I was the guy in the black truck on my way to work @0750am 12 26 18 when a speeding car driving on the wrong side of the road hit me on a head on collision going 45mph or so. A Good Samaritan stoped to check on me as I was trying to escape the mangled metal. She insisted for me to wait for paramedics but my adrenaline was telling me to get out since recently I witness the fatality on 99 that burned the 17 year old RIP. I try so hard but I couldn’t do it all alone and insisted for her help (thank you who ever you are) once I was out the wreckage immobilized on the ground I looked over to the other car and felt really sad when I saw the passengers side windshield busted with a major head impression and no movement in the compartment. The driver was defenetly impaired and moving. Paramedics arrived quick and took me to harborview hospital where I was diagnosed and treated for a broken sternum (feels like death) fractured ribs, broken knee cap, fractured ankle, teeth thru my bottom lip, split upper lip, stitched up right eye lid, head concussion multiple stiches on lacerations on my legs and face and prior to arrival a thumb up the anus from the paramedic (I hope he was checking me for internal bleeding). Thank you God for letting me survive this and I pray for the passenger on the other car, I hope he made it as well. As for the impaired driver I don’t know what to say. I mean you almost killed me, I don’t know if your passenger made it. I’m a self employed father of three that’s unable to walk on my own ever since, sh-t! I can not even do that…I been constipated from all the medications I got for my evaluation. Sarcasm says ” Im glad i dont have to pay any bills or taxes till next year.. (ETA48hrs you f ing careless morning animal! I hope you don’t get bailed any time soon and at least spend new years in jail you f ing youPS happy New Year’s

jen888 January 2, 2019 (7:11 am)

UDPATE 1-2-2019
We have setup a go fund me page for the victim in the black truck who suffered serious injuries. The victim is grateful for any support that will help defray the cost of medical expenses and loss of income over the next several months. Thank you so much for any support. http://www.gofundme.com/pedro-javier-gomez

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