(July 16th reader photo sent by Reiner)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One week ago, heroic passersby pulled a woman out of her submerged car off Alki Avenue, after a speeding driver hit it so hard that it was shoved off the road, over an embankment, and into Elliott Bay.
The crash was the major topic of this past week’s monthly Alki Community Council meeting. About 15 people attended in person at Alki UCC, with others participating online, including Southwest Precinct second-in-command Lt. Dorothy Kim.
She didn’t have new information, except to say that police and prosecutors were working together to see if the at-fault driver could be charged even before the state lab’s toxicology report – which could take months – was available. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI, but not taken to jail as he instead had to go to a hospital with serious leg injuries. Lt. Kim didn’t know whether he was still in the hospital. (The victim, 24-year-old Madison Kelly, is, and crowdfunding continues for her and her family.)
The state-lab backlog was a subject of discussion for a few minutes. One attendee expressed puzzlement as she had worked in a hospital and blood-test results – for alcohol/drugs or otherwise – were available fairly quickly. Yes, Lt. Kim acknowledged, while explaining that state-lab processing was imperative for prosecutions, and it had a 9+-month backlog. City Council candidate Phil Tavel, attending online, said he had been working on a recent court case in Yakima with a lab report that took 14 months: “They are so far behind, it’s crazy.” Regarding advocating for prosecution of the at-fault driver, Tavel recommended contacting the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and asking to speak to a victims’ advocate, and/or attempting to contact the prosecutor who specializes in cases like this one, and showing up at hearings.
Then the talk turned to the Alki dangerous-driving problem in general. One resident asked why there isn’t more of a police presence, issuing traffic tickets. The SPD staffing crisis, Lt. Kim replied. “We are down 400 bodies … and effectively do not have a Traffic Unit any more.” She says they could have at least four officers on an “emphasis patrol” but that’s usually voluntary overtime so they more often get one or two. She said one night-shift officer does proactively work on traffic enforcement and DUI, but that’s just one. She also noted that the Mobile Precinct is currently in the shop, so that’s why you’re not seeing it parked at Alki.
Steve Pumphrey, a leader of the Alki/Harbor Avenues resident group that’s been advocating for action against street disorder, said that speed humps/cushions would be a short-term solution if installed along the entire waterfront stretch, beyond where they’re installed now, and on 63rd SW too.
Lt. Kim said she and precinct commander Capt. Martin Rivera support city action that would authorize speed cameras, a proposal that has made it out of the City Council’s Transportation and Public Utilities Committee and is scheduled for a vote by the full council this Tuesday (July 25th – here’s the agenda).
Pumphrey warned that deployment of speed cameras would be at least a year away, so “don’t get hung up” on them, though he also expressed gratitude to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold for pushing the speed humps and dividers that have been installed so far, as well as helping them with the speed-camera authorization: “We had to prove to the city that state law had changed.”
After more general discussion of traffic calming and why it’s needed, ACC president Tony Fragada agreed that the group could write a letter to the city supporting the speed-camera authorization before Tuesday’s vote.
Also at the meeting:
CRIME STATS: Lt. Kim also offered an update on Alki area crime stats. Homicides and auto thefts are up – in the former category, the area has seen two this year, while last year had none. Auto thefts are up citywide. “Shots fired” calls precinctwide are down from last year (at least as of the meeting last Thursday).
COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS: Two of the department’s CSOs – an unarmed civilian job brought back just before the pandemic – attended. They explained themselves as “resource connectors.” A new initiative they’re working on right now will schedule “community circles” – “sit together, share stories, build relationships” – if you’re interested in possibly being part of this, here’s the signup form. The city has only 20 CSO positions plus four supervisors right now but they’re almost fully staffed.
NEXT MEETING: Third Thursday in September – the ACC will take August off. And it’s still looking for new officers, as most of the current board, including people who have long served, will be leaving.
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