UPDATE: Driver to hospital after Arbor Heights collision that damaged house

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

11:27 AM: The “rescue extrication” response is headed for 39th SW/SW 106th [map], and the dispatch was for a reported “vehicle into a building.” Updates to come.

11:30 AM: First SFD crew on scene reports crash into tree. SFD says no extrication necessary, occupant got themselves out.

11:38 AM: Just added a photo. Our crew says this pickup is in the yard of a house closer to 37th SW than 39th and that the driver appears to be OK. SFD says there are “reports of a second patient near scene.” We’re checking on that.

11:50 AM: Our crew talked to a witness who also noted that a second vehicle was involved, and our crew has found that one:

The driver of this vehicle is OK but after evaluation, our crew says, it appears the pickup driver will be taken to a hospital. Avoid the area, by the way – police are NOT there yet to direct traffic so SFD is doing what it can.

12:38 PM: Firefighters had to shore up the deck area damaged According to a witness with whom we spoke, the pickup driver hit the other car while trying to get through a narrow section o street, then lost control.

A commenter says the pickup driver went through three yards before ending up on the deck.

AmyC June 14, 2019 (11:45 am)

We’re at 37th/107th and I heard the crash and then a scream/yell. Sure hope everyone is ok.

WSB June 14, 2019 (12:04 pm)

The pickup driver is being taken to the hospital but via AMR, not SFD medic unit, so not life-threatening injuries.

CarolW June 14, 2019 (12:12 pm)

I happened to be driving by and cannot figure out how the truck got into that position from the road?!

WSB June 14, 2019 (12:19 pm)

I’m going to add this to the story (with more photos) but a witness told us the pickup’s driver, trying to navigate a narrow part of the road, hit the other vehicle, then lost control, went through a yard, and into the deck.
- Lori Guild June 14, 2019 (12:37 pm)
  
  He went through 3 yards, clipping a parked truck and missing another and a telephone poll. He was extremely lucky.
driving by June 14, 2019 (12:22 pm)

At an extremely high rate of speed…I was traveling west approaching the stop sign at 39th and 106th and the pick-up truck flew by me… started drifting into the grass on the east side of the road and then I saw cross the road and appear to go into the yard (through my mirrors while I was trying to get my phone to call 911).
- ktrapp June 14, 2019 (3:38 pm)
  
  Was the truck driver on 106th? I’m with CarolW. I’ve found the location on Google Maps, and am still amazed at how he could have gotten that far over! Looking at 106th on that block it doesn’t look all that narrow. It’s a full two lane arterial, not one of the one lane if there are cars on both sides residential streets. I don’t doubt the witness description. I’m just wondering how the driver managed to do it!
  - SBM June 14, 2019 (4:41 pm)
    
    Yea but isn’t there some construction/utility work going on at that intersection right now?
  - Sherrie June 14, 2019 (5:32 pm)
    
    He lost control and went completely off the street, into the middle of a yard, then through another yard (mine) and through two cedar fences before hitting the porch and crashing into a tree, which is what finally stopped his truck. The passenger was OK, driver is in the hospital. Just very lucky that no other people or pets were injured.

St June 14, 2019 (12:42 pm)

Arterials are 25 mph now and residential streets are 20 mph. Further proof you can’t put up a sign or announce a change unless you enforce it.

zark00 June 14, 2019 (2:51 pm)

agree – the two new right turn only signs at 35th and Juneau are ignored by about 1/2 the drivers I see on my way to and from work. Lots of entitled folks that feel the rules and laws don’t apply to them.
- St June 14, 2019 (3:10 pm)
  
  Yesterday I saw someone turn left from 35th northbound to westbound Fauntleroy. That has been marked as no left turn for at least 20 years. Never ceases to amaze me.
CPettis June 14, 2019 (4:59 pm)

I don’t think residential streets in AH are 20 mph. People speed on my street and when I called to confirm the speed limit, I was told 25 mph. It’s pretty fast for residential IMO. But sadly, 106th is easy to go 50 mph bc it’s so wide and an arterial. Glad it wasn’t worse!
- M. G. June 15, 2019 (11:50 pm)
  
  C.P.Please see SMC 11.52.060Ordinance 125169 enacted by the Seattle City Council on 26SEP16 and signed into law on 07OCT16 by Mayor Murray lowered speed limits on arterials from 30mph to 25mph and lowered speed limits on non-arterials from 25mph to 20mph unless otherwise posted.Thank you for the impetus to research this as I was still under the assumption of the old speed limits and will now amend my ways and drive slower in neighborhoods. The “20 is plenty” signs I see in neighborhoods should be replaced with “20mph – It’s the law. SMC 11.52.060”.

Kathy June 14, 2019 (1:21 pm)

https://ride4safestreets.org/

Sherrie June 14, 2019 (2:01 pm)

Hello, I’m the owner of one of the houses that was hit. If you haven’t already done so, please call in your witness statement to SPD Traffic Section, 206-684-8757, Incident # 19-216792. Thank you.

M.B. June 14, 2019 (5:30 pm)

I hope the driver is OK. The truck looks familiar.Sherrie, my condolences. That looks like you had just recently had a lot of work done.

Sherrie June 15, 2019 (8:31 am)

Thanks M.B. My house was renovated last year and the house where the porch was damaged was built last year. The driver only had minimum insurance so that won’t come close to covering all of the damage from this accident. This is a big mess but could have been so much worse; again just thankful nobody was seriously injured. Waiting on the final incident report from the police before making any conclusions about what impaired the driver, and hoping he is making a good recovery.
- milthorst June 17, 2019 (12:19 pm)
  
  Sherrie, please let us know if/when you learn the cause of the accident and the resolution of the damage. My wife and I walked past yesterday and were shocked at how much damage we saw.

Ron Swanson June 14, 2019 (5:45 pm)

I was one of the yards the man drove through, and was with him when the medics got to him. He appears to have had a medical problem. Hope he is alright. We can mend fences and yards, lucky no one was hurt more seriously.