UPDATE: Motorcycle rider in critical condition after collision on 35th SW

6:50 PM: Thanks for the tip. SPD and SFD are at a crash scene on 35th SW at Dawson, near Camp Long. Buses are also being routed off 35th in that area.

6:57 PM: SPD says the crash involves a driver and motorcycle rider. We’re headed to the scene in hopes of finding out more.

7:21 PM: Our crew says 35th is closed between Dawson and Brandon but that the Traffic Collision Investigation detectives aren’t being called out, so this will clear once the wrecked motorcycle and car are towed. We’re told the rider was taken to a hospital; we’re following up further with SFD to find out their condition when transported.

8:01 PM: The street is open again, per Metro alert saying buses have returned to regular routing.

8:06 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says the rider, a 24-year-old man, was in critical condition when transported to the hospital.

64 Replies to "UPDATE: Motorcycle rider in critical condition after collision on 35th SW"

  • AH Neighbor January 20, 2023 (7:05 pm)

    I just drove through and the side streets are narrow and messy. Avoid! Hope everyone is ok.

  • Doug January 20, 2023 (7:47 pm)

    I live right where that accident happened and I talked to the bus driver who witnessed it.  He said it was fatal, but maybe he was misinformed. 

    • WSB January 20, 2023 (7:51 pm)

      If it had been a fatality, TCI would be called out, closing the street for hours, and they weren’t. But I’m checking with SFD for the definitive word.

      • WSB January 20, 2023 (8:08 pm)

        Rider in critical condition when transported, per SFD.

        • Doug January 20, 2023 (8:24 pm)

          Thanks for the followup.  Amazing the information you get from people who were literally witnesses to the accident. 

          • WSB January 20, 2023 (8:41 pm)

            In our experience, it’s really common for people to think they saw “a body” when it was actually an alive person, ill or injured, wrapped in a blanket of some kind (there are emergency “blankets” that resemble tarps) – remember the SWAT situation just a few weeks ago in which someone reported seeing “a body” being carried out of a house, to a car, and police later verified the person was alive … All this said, when authorities say someone’s in critical condition, it’s pretty bad. Without a name, I may not be able to follow up in subsequent days, but will try – TR

    • I remember Huling Bros. January 20, 2023 (10:36 pm)

      Doug, so what happened? 

  • jerry January 20, 2023 (8:17 pm)

    Hopefully the rider is OK. Cagers: you need to LOOK, SIGNAL, and pay ATTENTION. I deal with with daily on 35th and the 20 MPH over speeders! 

  • Alki resident January 20, 2023 (8:43 pm)

    Praying very hard for the rider. 

  • No thanks January 20, 2023 (9:33 pm)

    As a witness, here’s a pro tip. If you value your life don’t race up the hill at freeway speed splitting two lanes of traffic, and continue to weave in and out of the traffic. Terrible outcome but I would be shocked if he made it, based on the shape he was in speed and mechanism. Poor driver was just coming home and it is certainly not her fault. Biker made a poor decision and couldn’t slow down it was too late at those speeds. Would love to hear that he makes it. 

    • brother January 21, 2023 (10:13 am)

      as a witness, can you say what you saw happen?

    • bill January 21, 2023 (10:17 am)

      Be aware when in other states that lane splitting may be legal. Scares the c*** out of me every time in California.

    • Nama January 21, 2023 (12:28 pm)

      Thank you for your good thoughts. I’m hoping you can tell me what happened and I’m guessing the other driver is okay? I’m so sorry. Please contact me: namaATdasya.com. We’re trying to let the insurance know what’s going on.

      • Krsnpriya Bush January 31, 2023 (7:38 pm)

        All our aloha. Krsnapriya and Nanda Kumar Das

    • friend January 23, 2023 (9:35 am)

      Before you comment, here’s a pro tip. Remember that the people reading this page the most will be the ones who knew the biker. This man was one of my closest friends and this page was the only place I had for updates before the family contacted me. It’s true that he was probably doing something stupid but reading some of these comments were devastating to me. 

      • Elizabeth January 24, 2023 (8:51 pm)

        People can make thoughtless comments on the blog. I wish they didn’t. I am praying for your friend.

      • Hayward January 27, 2023 (8:30 pm)

        @Friend. I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that Chakra did something wrong. 1) Motorcyclists can’t do anything about left-turn accidents, which account for 36% of motorcycle accident fatalities. 2) The speed of impact can be estimated by the weight of the motorcycle and the crumpling on the car door.  The crumpling in the photo doesn’t indicate high speed. 3) Google says the travel time between the elementary school where Chakra worked and the location of the accident is 19 minutes given the speed limit. The kids at Right-at-School are gone before 6PM. The accident tip came in at 6:50. That’s an extra 30 minutes. That doesn’t sound like he was rushing.

    • Hayward January 27, 2023 (3:40 pm)

      @NoThanks, your post feels contrived to me. How would you know that the driver of the car was female, that she was just coming home, and you were also able to observe the motorcyclist “continue to weave in and out of traffic” “up the hill” prior to the accident? The photo looks like a classic left-hand turn in front of a motorcyclist. People have a tendency not to see motorcyclists and consequently turn left in front of them where the cyclist has no time to respond.In this case, it appears the car turned left over a double yellow, crossing two lanes of oncoming traffic. You’d expect skid marks on the road if the motorcyclist had any time to react. I don’t see any in the photo. Seems like your post is more to create a narrative than to describe a tragic event.

  • Odd son January 20, 2023 (11:22 pm)

    Based on the position of the car I hope they weren’t making a u turn.

    • Also John January 21, 2023 (7:37 am)

      Isn’t it jaw dropping the amount of U-turns happening lately.   I never saw this until approximately 5 years ago.    RCW 46.61.295 says it’s legal to do.   That surprises me, because it’s very dangerous.

      • you-turn January 21, 2023 (7:04 pm)

        RCW  46.61.295

        “U” turns.

        “(1) The driver of any vehicle shall not turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction unless such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic.
        (2) No vehicle shall be turned so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve, or upon the approach to or near the crest of a grade, where such vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred feet.”
        Read the law.  
        Few of the U-turns we constantly now see are legal.
        Once again, it is the elimination of traffic enforcement that is causing such chaos on our streets.

      • Neighbor January 21, 2023 (10:00 pm)

        Yep blows my mind. The most recent fatality I am aware of was a couple years ago on Beach Drive. Just go around the block people, it isn’t hard.

        Hard to tell from the picture but could also be the car making a left hand turn which is also extremely dangerous for motorcyclists.

    • Hayward January 27, 2023 (8:45 pm)

      Not likely a U-turn. The car in the crash photo is perpendicular to the rightmost oncoming lane and Google Streetview shows a curb-cut at the location.

  • Odd son January 20, 2023 (11:27 pm)

    Not trying to say it was a factor here but generally speaking I often see a couple of vehicles driving at night without headlights. Just a reminder to make sure they are on every time you are driving at night. A lot of newer vehicles are “automatic” but if the switch on the dash gets switched by a valet, friend, or by accident, it stays that way. It’s so important to be visible in the dark. We don’t really have police to remind you so it’s left up to me/us. IMO dash lights should not work at night unless headlights are switched on. Old school. “If it aint broke, don’t fix it”.

    • Hayward January 27, 2023 (7:48 pm)

      Not likely a U-turn. The car in the photo above is perpendicular to the rightmost oncoming lane and Google shows a curb-cut there.

  • Nama January 20, 2023 (11:48 pm)

    Hi, this was my son on the motorcycle. Thank you for praying for him. We are at the hospital now. We do not know if he will make it. If anyone knows what happened please reach out. Thanks!

    • school bus driver January 21, 2023 (6:41 am)

      my heart goes out to you, your son, and all involved

    • Sarge January 21, 2023 (8:38 am)

      My thoughts are with you… hope he is ok

    • Midi January 21, 2023 (9:30 am)

      Praying for your son 🙏 

    • R2 January 21, 2023 (9:54 am)

      As a motorcyclist myself, it’s always upsetting when there is an accident involving another rider. I hope your son pulls through. He, and those who hold him dear, will be in my thoughts.

    • Resident January 21, 2023 (10:23 am)

      I hope your son makes it through. There is a commentator above that sounds like they witnessed the accident and the lead up to it.

    • star 55 January 21, 2023 (10:27 am)

      Sending you positive thoughts.

    • Charlie gundersen January 28, 2023 (2:11 am)

      I worked it’s Chakra and want to express how impressed I was with your son . He was very responsible with the kids and did a great job leading them. I am very sorry for your  loss and send condolences to you and your family. 

  • Nama January 21, 2023 (11:29 am)

    He’s in pretty bad shape, but heis alive. Hard to believe, but he is. Thank you for all your prayers. I’ll update you if anything changes. They have stabilized the bleeding for now, but last I heard they were waiting to do a ct or mri scan. He’s got multiple fractures in his skull and pelvis. 

    • Alki resident January 21, 2023 (1:02 pm)

      In the name of Jesus. Heal this boy so he can live a full life, and his mother can live out hers without heartbreak and sadness. Please give him a chance to prove himself. His mistakes aren’t worth his life. 

      • Nama January 21, 2023 (3:36 pm)

        Thank you. It’s not looking good right now. May your blessing be so in God’s Holy Name. 

    • Karen January 21, 2023 (5:27 pm)

      Sending love, prayers, and healing thoughts your way!  

    • M January 21, 2023 (6:57 pm)

      Praying that your son recovers.

  • Blessed January 23, 2023 (8:57 am)

    May GOD bless both drivers, that they may recover in all aspects and flourish in Jesus’s name!

  • Alki resident January 23, 2023 (7:31 pm)

    Your son has completely occupied my head all week. Is there an update we can learn yet? Still heavily praying for your boy. 

    • B January 24, 2023 (2:45 am)

      More is known, but the blog is likely waiting on official sources before reporting further. I look forward to their report. 

      • WSB January 24, 2023 (8:40 am)

        I don’t know what you are alluding to, but we don’t have a shred of information we haven’t published. – TR

  • Vikram Best January 25, 2023 (10:58 am)

    Hi everyone, as of now my brother Chakra is not doing well, they tried to lay him down to prep for pelvic surgery but his body did not react well and the pressure in his brain went up considerable and they tried to do surgery to reduce the pressure but weren’t successful. Currently the pressure has gone down but it’s mostly due to the increase of medication and some extra, stronger medication. Thank you all who are praying. He’s in good hands, the Harborview medical doctors and nurses are the best! Will update if anything more happens ❤️

    • Stickerbush January 25, 2023 (11:34 am)

      Thank you for the update Vikram, I will pray for his recovery. He’s in the care of one of the best trauma centers there is and he’s young, has those things going for him.

    • Elizabeth January 25, 2023 (1:36 pm)

      Thanks for taking the time to update us, Vikram. I am the mom of a close friend of Chakra’s. We are praying and hoping that his youth combined with excellent medical care and the support of loving family and friends will carry him through.

    • Alki resident January 25, 2023 (3:01 pm)

      He is in excellent hands for sure at Harborview. I’m so appreciative of this update. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to get his pelvis operated on. Praying continuously for some miracles. 

  • Vikram Best January 26, 2023 (2:03 pm)

    Our family is a mess and we are all so grateful for each and every one of you all who kept Chakra in your prayers. I’m very sad to say that he passed away earlier today from his injuries and is not longer with us. As i’m writing this, i’m finding it hard to believe this is actually happening.. 

    • Elizabeth January 26, 2023 (3:24 pm)

      I am so terribly sorry. May you and your family receive the love and comfort you need in the days and years ahead.

    • John H January 26, 2023 (4:54 pm)

      This is heart-breaking.  I’m so very sorry for your loss.  I only met him once but I thought he was a remarkable young man.

    • Parent January 26, 2023 (5:20 pm)

      Sending so much love and healing to your family during this terrible time.  He was loved by all the parents and students he cared for—such a thoughtful, caring, selfless soul. We are devastated and the world is a bit darker.

    • Alki resident January 26, 2023 (5:35 pm)

      I’m devastated, I’m so sorry. Virtually hugging you and your family so tight 

    • Alki Mom January 26, 2023 (9:27 pm)

      I am so very sorry for this tremendous loss. My heart aches for you and your family. I will keep all of you in my prayers.

    • Blessed January 27, 2023 (8:54 am)

      On behalf of my family to yours, I would like to offer our most heartfelt condolences. May GOD give you the strength to walk through your grief, bless you and keep you. We did not know Chakra, but we have love for him, just the same. 

    • Krsnpriya Bush January 31, 2023 (7:45 pm)

      I am here for you.  I am still in Hawaii with Nanda Kumar Das but I practice telepsychiatry out of Bellevue. Let me know if I can be of any comfort. I lost my only child, a daughter, Aheemsa Devi,  tragically when she but 26, almost six years ago. 

  • Mia January 26, 2023 (5:01 pm)

    We know there are no words to take away the sadness you feel, but please accept our heartfelt prayers and sincere condolences for your family’s loss.  We pray that your brother Chakra ascends towards the light and grace of his compassionate God and may you and your family find the comfort and support you need to make it through this difficult time.  (He is our prayers because we happened to be driving through the area that evening)

  • Michael McCormick January 26, 2023 (5:27 pm)

    My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Chakra. Death of the young is tragic no matter the time and place. – from a motorcyclist who lives in the block where this tragedy occurred

    Without trying to speculate how or why this happened, I’d just ask all drivers to drive calmly and carefully and really watch for ALL traffic whether pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle or car. Here is (IMO) a thought-provoking test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4

  • Parent January 26, 2023 (9:15 pm)

    My 8 years old son likes Mr. Chakra the most at his after school care. I just found about his passing today. I am loss at words. I don’t have the courage to tell my son today because he will probably cry his eyes out. I hope Charka’s family knows how amazing he is to all the students at Spirtridge Elementary. 

  • ALISON January 26, 2023 (9:41 pm)

    May God give you the strength to breathe and make it through this awful tragedy. Such a terrible accident. Rest in heavenly peace, Chakra

  • Parent January 26, 2023 (10:36 pm)

    This is such a sad and hard news to process. I used to interact with Mr Chakra daily at school pick up. My 6 year old daughter remembers Mr Chakra as a kind & fun loving person. We will all miss him!! May his soul rest in peace. Strength to the family in this difficult time.

  • Tori January 27, 2023 (9:03 pm)

    My son asked when I buckled him in the car, “Why do you have to get me early this week, after-school is my favorite part.” Tristan loved Chakra, and we did too. Chakra had a unique ability to simultaneously be firm and warm with the kids, and he conveyed a beautiful, quiet confidence. Chakra made our little corner of the world a bit brighter. My husband cried when he heard. I’m so sorry Nama and Vikram; I hurt for you. Please let us know what we can do for your family, or if we can do something for others that Chakra would have liked. We miss him. – Tori (Tristan’s mom; toriiort at yahoo dot com)

  • Event Analysis January 28, 2023 (10:44 am)
    • A lot of information can be deduced from the posted image. The SUV is slightly angled toward opposing traffic with its front wheels canted left, and the SUV stopped up on the parking strip, short of the curb entrance. That indicates that the SUV crossed the oncoming lanes at a diagonal, and then turned more sharply left midway through the turn.
    • That is, rather than making a typical arching left-hand turn, it appears that the SUV turned left early, probably to thread traffic. After seeing the motorcyclist, the SUV pulled harder left, undershooting the curb entrance and driving up on the parking strip.
    • Double yellow lines are there to prevent this type of accident. 
    • K January 28, 2023 (11:55 am)

      It is not illegal to make a left turn across a double-yellow line.  There is a lot that CAN’T be deduced from the image, so it’s best to leave the analysis to the investigators.

      • Event Analysis January 28, 2023 (6:44 pm)
        • In Washington, the legality of crossing a double yellow is predicated upon its safety.  

        It is important that citizens engage in careful analysis and critical thinking as they help prevent harm and misdirection.

  • Friend February 3, 2023 (10:10 am)

    Thank you for everyones kind words. I have provided the go-fund me link for anyone who would like to contribute to the family. Thank you https://gofund.me/8dd4282a

Sorry, comment time is over.