UPDATE: Pedestrian to hospital after Alki Avenue collision

5:37 PM: Thanks for the tip. A police and fire response in the 1700 block of Alki Avenue has the street blocked. We’re working to find out what’s happening.

5:46 PM: The initial dispatch was for what responders were told was a “vehicle vs. pedestrian collision.” … We don’t know the pedestrian’s condition, but the SFD medic unit was dispatched without transporting, which can mean injuries weren’t life-threatening.

6 PM: All SFD units have cleared the scene.

6:13 PM: SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty tells us the pedestrian, a man in his mid-50s, had minor injuries and was taken to a hospital by private ambulance.

ConcernedCommoner January 6, 2024 (5:55 pm)

If this ends up being yet another car vs ped or bike, I wrote an opinion on the city’s complacency in the community forums about the problems surrounding this in West Seattle. These streets are terrifying and the drivers choose to blaze through areas without accountability. This has got to change. Hopefully those involved are ok in this situation but I’m tired of experiencing, witnessing and reading about others having issues with or getting hurt/killed by illegal driving habits. Cops are just as guilty partaking in those activities while also failing to hold people accountable.

alki_2008 January 7, 2024 (3:34 pm)

Do you know that the car was speeding? If people want to limit car speed, then push for the installation of speed bumps. That will force cars to slow down. Cameras won’t stop accidents from happening.

Di January 6, 2024 (6:02 pm)

I got home minutes before this emergency response. I had driven all the way around Alki and SO very cautiously. in this weather it’s crucial to drive slowly and observe each and every crosswalk it is so hard to see pedestrians when it’s dark, raining, streets are wet shiny black slick and reflections from headlights etc. making it very very challenging to see and dangerous for pedestrians. I had another driver speeding up from behind, riding my tail and questioned how there are drivers on the road who will directly endanger pedestrians lives due to speed, negligence all the time they just do not seem to get it. I don’t know what happened in this instance but I take the responsibility and role to keep others safe when driving so very seriously and am beyond frustrated when others do not.

Socialcontract January 6, 2024 (8:26 pm)

Same. It’s amazing how quickly we learned how many in our community will disregard rules if they think they won’t get caught.

Witness January 6, 2024 (10:15 pm)

I walked by minutes after it happened and saw the pedestrian who was hit being attended to on the ground. He appeared to be wearing a black jacket and dark pants so it would have been difficult to see him in the rain. It’s ironic that an area that is such a draw for people is so pedestrian-unfriendly.

Anne January 7, 2024 (8:09 am)

Are you serious? Alki is not pedestrian unfriendly -pedestrians & bikes & wheels have their own lanes to be in for Pete’s sake-(on the water side) also-unlike other neighborhoods in WS there are street lights. We don’t know yet what the circumstances were- but Alki being “ pedestrian unfriendly” isn’t one of them.
drivingpedestrian January 7, 2024 (9:23 am)

I don’t see how his clothing is relevant. Just because you aren’t wearing high-viz doesn’t mean you deserve to get hit by errant drivers. It is always a vehicle operators responsibility to drive at safe speeds and remain undistracted. It’s really not hard to see people even in dark clothing at night if you aren’t cruising down the road at 45 mph.
Brian January 7, 2024 (10:16 am)

It’s the driver who is at fault. What was the driver wearing?
- 937 January 7, 2024 (12:35 pm)
  
  A metal invincibility cloak – unless there’s a bigger rig.

Reed January 7, 2024 (8:54 am)

This is why the only option is to restrict where cars can physically go, and why my comments regarding the Alki Healthy Street are completely relevant and factual. Let’s not forget about the cyclist who was struck on West Marginal the other day.

Neighbor January 7, 2024 (1:29 pm)

Cars, and many of the people driving them, are an absolute menace. I wish we would get serious as a society about restricting who can drive and where cars can be driven. We shouldn’t have to live in fear just walking around our neighborhoods.

Sorry, comment time is over.