WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Searching for suspect in ‘road-rage’ assault

| Crime | West Seattle news

Sent by a reader who wanted to be anonymous:

A disturbing incident happened yesterday evening, Thursday 11/2, around 5:30 in front of Genesee Hill Elementary.

A family member was violently assaulted in a road-rage incident by the driver of this silver Chevrolet Silverado pickup – see below image.

Fortunately several people were walking dogs or in their yards and helped stop the assault. The driver sped away and despite a very fast SPD response, has not yet been caught.

The Silverado is distinctive in that it is missing the entire rear bumper and has no license plate displayed anywhere. There is also body damage under the taillight on the drivers side. We think it is likely a 2006 Silverado. Also note one-piece rear windshield – no sliding window.

SPD said anyone who sees the vehicle should call 911 and reference Incident # 23-317784.

If it’s not a “seeing it now” tip, you can also call the SPD violent-crimes tip line, 206-233-5000.

Me mama November 3, 2023 (4:00 pm)

I’m so sorry and I hope he gets caught. Why is there not ticketing/pulling over of vehicles that don’t have license plates? I see a surprising number of them. Seems like they can’t be up to any good if their plates are off.

Alki resident November 3, 2023 (4:16 pm)

Very likely a stolen truck. Hopefully someone took a pic of the actual suspect.

WSlifelong November 3, 2023 (4:23 pm)

WSB. Did they give any indication where the road rage and follow on assault occurred and how it unfolded? Any word on direction the truck took? Haven’t seen this truck but will watch for it.

Molly November 3, 2023 (6:55 pm)

Started at 35th/avalon and ended at the GHE school. I believe they went through admiral area based on a comment from a post I did in a moms group with this trucks photo and the time that the event happened.

Molly November 3, 2023 (5:42 pm)

One of my friends was a witness to this, and the teenager who was hurt is a good kid with an amazingly close family. This sort of behavior is so out of pocket, and it’s becoming more common to see in our area. The movie “unhinged” comes to mind when road rage is talked about in west Seattle. It used to be that the movie was so crazy that it scared you- now you have to worry that doing a zipper merge wrong will lead to you being chased from 35th all the way home. People need to realize no traffic incident is worth hurting someone over. I hope this POS is found quickly- it’s worth noting that the guy driving looked to be in his 30s, average build, tan skin, with a thick beard and hair.

WarOnCars November 3, 2023 (6:29 pm)

wild a car can drive on public streets (cameras and all) without a license plate. but all too often punitive rules around car driving are lax because they majority of car drivers don’t want their level of deviant behavior accounted for (e.g. “no speeding cameras because I want to drive 10 mph over” or literally promoting perjury to avoid the paying for traffic tickets).

Westytoo November 4, 2023 (9:44 am)

YES !! we have Traffic cameras all over that could be essential for catching the dangerous perpetrators, we are encountering. Please reach out to the city Council and the mayor and ask that the laws be changed to allow the police to use those cameras to find these dangerous people. Just that one narrow use, and no others.. it seems ridiculous that we have all those cameras that could help…. we need to USE that resource !

Neighbor November 3, 2023 (7:26 pm)

New to Seattle: what’s the law on license plates and their location or lack thereof on cars? I notice SO many cars here without rear plates.

Mellow Kitty November 4, 2023 (9:16 am)

Here’s a link to the laws: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16A.200
bill November 4, 2023 (9:23 am)

Rear plates are mandatory — that’s where the registration stickers go. Front plates are mandatory unless the car is built such that plates cannot be attached. Front brackets are available for almost all cars sold without a front bracket — sorry Tesla owners you don’t get a pass on this. Missing or obscured rear plates became a thing here when the high bridge was closed and access to the low bridge was photo enforced.

Jason November 3, 2023 (10:56 pm)

Wrong taillights for a 2006. That’s a 2002 at the latest, 2003 they dropped the yellow turn signals.

Neighborlady November 4, 2023 (12:38 am)

That truck looks an awful lot like a truck that road-raged on me for doing 20 in a school zone a while back.I hope the victim of this jerk is okay.

Ws guy November 4, 2023 (1:22 am)

At the time it happened, it was roughly 6:15-6:20. I think but don’t know w from what I was told they were coming into this neighborhood from the south or southwest which mean this is likely a route they both take coming from work. I suspect that that truck will take a cooling off period but will be back to its routine in a week or two. I so t think it’s stolen because theirs take the plate off, it’s hard to remove the whole bumper. I was there right when the truck pulled away. He beat the other guy with a wrench the other guy pulled out to protect himself. I didn’t see it, but my buddy said it’s bad. I’d love to see this road rage guy get sent to jail. Especially if he’s semi-local.

Witness November 4, 2023 (8:47 am)

Picture of the truck was taken at 5:51. We took it. They were coming from the north- heading south on 49th and took a right on Dakota heading west. Our ring camera caught them going by. They stopped right in front of the empty lot that said Dakota place. Rest of details are accurate. I hope this person is caught he is a ticking time bomb that will go off again
Molly November 4, 2023 (9:15 am)

The time it happened it was 5:51, and they came down 49th from admiral and through 49th to turn right on Dakota. This level of incorrect details will muddle peoples minds on when or if they’ve seen the car. The person beaten is a teenager, and he was scared out of his mind when he drove past saying “this guy is chasing me.” The pickup almost ran over a neighbors dog and once he was able to pass (with neighbor screaming at them to slow the eff down), the pickup ZOOMED around the corner so fast smoke came up. That turn is where the smaller car spun out and where the teenager had to try to defend himself.

LS November 4, 2023 (9:55 am)

It’s not just Seattle! I legally merged in traffic last night in Puyallup and had the car behind me hit his high beams, repeatedly honk his horn and tailgate me for several blocks. I was so rattled I turned off to get rid of this person. It takes a LOT to rattle me but you never know these days unfortunately 😕

Ly November 5, 2023 (9:20 am)

Omg! I hope the kid that got beaten up in this is doing ok! Hope the driver gets caught. People are crazy on the roads. Even driving the speed limit on California you get tail gated. Someone aggressively passed me on a no pass lane on Admiral Way last week. They drove in the path of oncoming traffic to pass me. People are nuts. Wish we get more enforcement here.