CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Alki Avenue crash, three weeks later

Three weeks ago tonight, a speeding driver on Alki Avenue smashed into another car so hard, it was pushed over the seawall and into Elliott Bay, with passersby jumping into the water to rescue that car’s driver, 24-year-old Madison Kelly. Harborview Medical Center is no longer able to answer media questions about her condition, due to her medical-privacy status. The most recent update on the crowdfunding page for Ms. Kelly and her family is from two weeks ago, at which time she was described as “breathing on her own (and) discharged from the ICU (but) in a comatose state.” The update says her recovery could take months or years. Meantime, the driver who hit her, a 23-year-old North Seattle man who was driving his brother’s car, has not yet been charged. He was arrested the night of the crash on suspicion of DUI but taken to the hospital rather than jail; he is no longer at Harborview Medical Center but we don’t know whether he was transferred to another medical facility from there. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office told WSB late Friday that the case had not yet been referred to them by Seattle Police detectives; as discussed at the most-recent Alki Community Council meeting, discussions were under way regarding whether charges could be filed before the state lab’s toxicology report came in. Meantime, the City Council has since passed a bill that would enable speed-enforcement cameras in that area, but it’s up to SDOT to come up with a plan for installing them; that’s also the agency still mulling whether more speed humps should be added on Alki/Harbor Avenues.

enforcement August 6, 2023 (10:21 pm)

Another reason to vote for Tavel–his support of speed cameras.

Jay August 6, 2023 (11:48 pm)

Not the place for campaigning.
- Rick_WS August 7, 2023 (11:35 am)
  
  Where then, Jay?
  - Jay August 7, 2023 (12:49 pm)
    
    Talk about solutions, but to use this tragedy to wave a flag for your candidate is insensitive and tacky.
    - shotinthefoot August 8, 2023 (8:40 am)
      
      Totally agreed, Jay. This young woman is still in the hospital. Not the time or place. Tacky.
    - Wylie August 11, 2023 (9:41 am)
      
      They are literally advocating for a solution to the senseless deaths and violence caused by speeding and you are dismissing it immediately. This is exactly the time and place to mention such things. If your delicate sensitivities can’t take it then turn off the monitor and go do something productive
- Alki resident August 7, 2023 (1:00 pm)
  
  I completely disagree. Let’s have the discussion.
Rhonda August 7, 2023 (1:24 am)

I voted for Tavel but I’m glad he didn’t win since I wasn’t aware he was in favor of speed cameras.
General Info August 7, 2023 (1:55 pm)

Tavel did not advance from the Primary

Tired ws mom August 6, 2023 (10:51 pm)

What will speed cameras do for the stolen vehicles… nothing except add fees for the registered owner who then has to prove their vehicle was stolen. I hate to say it, but why not just throw in some tall and harsh unavoidable speed bumps?

alki resident 1700 August 7, 2023 (10:43 am)

Speed cameras are dumb and won’t stop the worst offenders. Speed bumps (that go all the way across the road) and other real traffic calming is what we need to protect pedestrians and drivers. Who GAF if next time something bad happens, someone responsible for a death is charged with a $200 ticket?

Jsbm August 6, 2023 (11:01 pm)

If speed bumps were installed in that section of Alki, this accident would likely have been avoided. Install them so the next accident won’t happen.

WSDUDEMAN August 6, 2023 (11:14 pm)

Has not been charged yet. Unreal.

Jay August 6, 2023 (11:50 pm)

Right? What is SPD waiting for? Are they going to wait for the DUI report? The backlog is like a year. This guy knows he’s facing life changing consequences and could just leave the country.
- WS Res August 7, 2023 (10:29 am)
  
  Would you like them to charge him with impaired driving without having any toxicology evidence? Right to a speedy trial means they can’t just put you in jail and say “we swear we’ll have evidence to back up our charge… someday.”
  - Jay August 7, 2023 (12:51 pm)
    
    Stop and think. Whether he was impaired or not he committed a serious crime. Delay the impaired driving charge, but charge him for reckless endangerment and everything else. Just think about it. Is being intoxicated the only crime committed in this incident?
    - WS Res August 7, 2023 (2:05 pm)
      
      So you want them to try him on lesser charges now, and then be unable to prosecute for the DUI later on because of double jeopardy? (I know in saying this all the armchair lawyers will try to explain why this would be allowable.)
Mike August 7, 2023 (6:29 am)

“discussions were under way regarding whether charges could be filed before the state lab’s toxicology report came in”This is bad, they’re backed up and it could be over a year before charges are legally allowed to be filed due to the states backlog. It was bad before Covid, labs shutdown, then people were fired and the state isn’t able to backfill hire enough people for the job now. What a mess.
- CAM August 7, 2023 (10:33 pm)
  
  Do you have any evidence that the crime lab was impacted by the vaccine mandate and people refusing to comply with their employment requirements? I haven’t seen that number broken down anywhere or an allegation that the slow down was a result of people being terminated.

Kersti Elisabeth Muul August 7, 2023 (6:22 am)

Meal train for family https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/9eyk96?fbclid=IwAR2OSSIwk1EyE3yeL3XOcm-0sdIE4ezGDFmKgG5ZZmOZ_F6qn2iKDzsrDqc

KM August 7, 2023 (6:43 am)

Do we know if there are ever going to be charges for the driver who killed Nicholas Wolf on California last year? Also driving a high rate of speed. I’m afraid since it’s been more than a year, they are going to let the driver off.

WSB August 7, 2023 (10:16 am)

Interestingly, using a newer lookup (the court changed its entire online search/records system semi-recently), I see that it appears he was – last fall! – but the case was placed in “deferred disposition” according to docket notations. That’ll take me a while to research but I’m adding it to my list.
- KM August 7, 2023 (11:33 am)
  
  Thanks so much for the follow up!

John August 7, 2023 (7:42 am)

Link to the crowdfunding page goes to WSB.

WSB August 7, 2023 (9:57 am)

Fixed, thanks for pointing that out.

E August 7, 2023 (8:10 am)

So, the man that caused the crash is not in jail? Or the hospital? He is just a free man?

WSB August 7, 2023 (9:57 am)

I don’t know. Because of medical-privacy laws, Harborview can’t say whether he was discharged to another facility or just discharged, just that he is not there. Similar situation to the West Seattle Bridge double-fatality case … turned out that defendant was at another hospital before being booked into jail, but that information only became public when he was charged 2 1/2 months after that crash. – TR

Marcus August 7, 2023 (9:29 am)

Speed cameras are not perfect. Neither are speed bumps as most of the tire marks on Alki are confined in a small area. Police patrols are also not perfect. However even 1 of the 3 will discourage much of the problem.

Josh August 7, 2023 (9:50 am)

She suffers a fate worse than death all because he wanted to go vroom vroom. It’s foolish to think the sociopaths are gonna slow down. Speed bumps on Alki. Redesign the rest of 35th. Speed cameras on Fauntleroy. ASAP.

alki resident August 7, 2023 (10:45 am)

Yep. It’s unbelievable that we just do nothing and every night I hear tens of cars going around 100mph. It’ll take less than a year to happen again at this rate.
Danimal August 9, 2023 (1:44 am)

No. Hold the police accountable to do their jobs. I see them daily, not doing their jobs. On Alki, particularly.

Mel August 7, 2023 (9:55 am)

How does the speeding driver not get charged with at least a speeding ticket, let alone a negligent attempt at homicide? Even if there’s some absurdly long wait for the toxicology report, even if the condition of the victim is unclear, which would make it possible to work out the particulars of the charges, it is profoundly unjust that the driver, and any other fool like him, seems to be free to do what he did again, without consequence. It’s horrific there’s been no real statement on this from law enforcement or other leader. Reckless driving is a real issue now, especially on Alki and WS bridge. I’m less interested in cameras and more interested in the incident simply getting the attention it deserves, and there being a PSA campaign that makes it more felt that there are real consequences to reckless driving and this situation could provide a real solid foundation for that by publicizing consequences to this particular driver.

WSB August 7, 2023 (11:45 am)

“Not charged yet” by no means equals “won’t be charged.” The West Seattle Bridge double-fatality driver was charged 2 1/2 months after the crash. The Spokane Street hit-run driver who killed a bicycle rider was charged 5 1/2 months after the crash. Not defending the delay but it’s important to know that by no means is someone like this necessarily going unpunished because charges haven’t been filed yet. I wish I had more answers, such as whether the suspect is still in a medical facility – by some accounts his injuries included a mangled leg – or not, but people have been asking about the case’s status so I wrote what I have – TR
- Mel August 7, 2023 (5:34 pm)
  
  Okay, thanks for pointing that out and reminding me about the time things sometimes take. Appreciate it and the WSB very much! Best local news source!

wetone August 7, 2023 (9:58 am)

Wish a quick full recovery for Ms Kelly #1, but anyone thinking speed bumps would of changed the outcome I think have not watched how little the true positive results are from there use. All one has to do is watch for a couple hours where in use. Unless you space speed bumps every 100’ there will be little benefits. Police, ticketing, accountability is/will be the only answer for real positive results. Speed cameras will do very little as many causing the issues could care less for so many reasons. Sad part to me is I see city having a hard time with charges towards driver who was allegedly driving recklessly due to circumstances.

Slow Down August 7, 2023 (10:43 am)

More speed humps … or cameras … or police … or re-designed streets will not solve 100% of these foolish crashes.

BUT … if they can help slow down drivers AND possibly save ONE LIFE then it’s worth it. There is not one, single solution … but doing nothing only guarantees one thing … more of the same.

DRW August 7, 2023 (10:48 am)

I don’t know if everybody saw the door camera video of the accident. It was brutal.

Marie M August 7, 2023 (11:10 am)

Cameras do not prevent. Put speed bumps in all the way down the street. It has made a difference by the boat dock. Also, why not get some patrol out here and start ticketing offenders? Surely they could generate enough revenue to hire more patrol. As for tge driver, he should be in jail until results from the tests come in, no exceptions.

Danimal August 9, 2023 (1:45 am)

Because somebody somewhere in the city or police leadership told the police not to pull people over for traffic offenses anymore, because it could be viewed as “biased” or “racist.”
- wetone August 9, 2023 (3:19 pm)
  
  DANIMAl , your 100% correct and it goes much deeper than just traffic offense………..

anonyme August 7, 2023 (11:52 am)

It’s hard to believe that there isn’t a single charge that could be laid against this guy in lieu of DUI. How about reckless endangerment, vehicular assault, speeding/racing? There must be some way to get these idiots off the street immediately without having to wait. Isn’t a breathalyzer immediate? Why the delay in the results of such a simple test?

Jay August 7, 2023 (12:55 pm)

For charging purposes they have to do a blood test at a crime lab. DUIs have doubled in recent years and it’s understaffed, and I believe there’s only one in the state. They plan to hire seven more people in the lab, but we’ll see. There’s also a massive backlog in rape kit testing. Police funding is not being spent wisely in my opinion, we’ve got a beat cop making over $400k with “overtime” and an ongoing scandal around that but can’t do basic evidence processing.
- CAM August 8, 2023 (1:13 am)
  
  Seems like a good way to safeguard the budget for the lab and to prevent any issues like have come up in Houston and other areas would be to completely separate the lab from the WSP.

WSEvironmentalist August 7, 2023 (5:12 pm)

It is important to point out the FIVE people were killed in Renton racing incidents on Saturday, 8/6/2023. Regardless of the fact it was Renton or FOUR people killed in racing accidents on I-5 during the past 2 weeks or mob racing on Capitol Hill, the overall issue is that the “racing” has become so profound within the greater Sound Area that it should be categorized as an epidemic. Speed cameras, speed bumps, rumble strips … whatever it takes should be applied. Our thoughts are with Ms Kelly and her family. We can only hope that over the past 2 weeks since the last media report, Ms Kelly was moved into rehab at Harborview where the staff is working to assist her in a recovery that we will all hail as not only a miracle life saving by Good Samaritans but also a miraculous recovery of a life so the Kelly Family can go on.

N Admiral August 7, 2023 (9:33 pm)

Suspect should be sentenced to 40 years in prison

Catherine August 8, 2023 (5:20 am)

From the Kiro7 website.https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/they-saved-my-child-mom-woman-whose-car-submerged-alki-beach-speaks-publicly-first-time/5PZGD2MUXJCRVGB5DACEDJUV64/

Wondering August 8, 2023 (9:48 am)

Does anyone that is close to the family know how Madison is doing now 2 weeks after the last update? Is she still in a coma? She is still in my prayers, and hoping for a full recovery!

Sorry, comment time is over.