UPDATE: Car-on-side crash west of West Seattle Junction; driver arrested for investigation of DUI

9:46 AM: Now a Seattle Fire “rescue extrication” response is on the way to the 4700 block of 45th SW for what’s reported as a car-on-side crash. Updates to come.

(Added: WSB photo)

9:49 AM: SFD crews are arriving and report “all occupants are out” of what police tell dispatch is a “minivan.” The response is being downsized.

10:04 AM: Our photographer just arrived; photo added above. No serious injuries, we’re told; a woman and child got out of the van. (added) Police tell us the van went on its side after hitting this parked pickup truck:

(added) Thanks to Guy for this photo of the scene:

2:54 PM: Police confirm what a commenter below first reported – that the woman driving the minivan was arrested on suspicion of DUI and reckless endangerment and booked into King County Jail. They also confirm that two children were in the minivan at the time of the crash and that both were taken to the Southwest Precinct, but had no information beyond that.

Alki resident April 22, 2024 (10:19 am)

I feel like I missed an unannounced event today.

Lola April 22, 2024 (10:49 am)

Wow 2 in less than an hour apart. Are we going for a record to see how many can flip in one day? I think people need to slow down if their vehicles are flipping. I know are streets are crap with all of the potholes but wow, I can still keep mine upright.

WSB April 22, 2024 (10:52 am)

As discussed here many, many times following flipped- or on-side-car crashes, drivers do NOT have to be speeding for this to happen.
- B M X April 22, 2024 (11:40 am)
  
  probably not speeding, but just distracted looking at their phones…bummer for who owns that nice green (now crunched) truck…
- ActuallyMike April 22, 2024 (1:28 pm)
  
  Maybe not, but speed’s gotta be involved in at least some of these Bonehead-Upside-Down incidents…
Derp April 22, 2024 (11:29 am)

If you see potholes, you the find it fix it app to get them taken care of. They are very responsive
- Lola April 22, 2024 (12:43 pm)
  
  Derp, I do many Pothole find it fix it online all the time as I work down in Georgetown. I even did quite a few to the Find it Fix it App on the one in the junction from about a month ago at least three times before they came out to fix it. Oregon and Calif. Ave. by Shadowland. Major Hole as you crossed over heading West on Oregon. I always had to dodge it. Since they are still doing so much construction right there I now come home a different way to avoid that area.
Aaron G April 22, 2024 (11:39 am)

You can tell from the dent in the pickup, it was a pretty slow speed collision. It hit just right to cause the flip. I strongly suspect the driver was looking at their phone at the moment of collision. I’m glad everyone’s okay here. The picture of the kid’s scooter had me very worried for a moment.
dL April 22, 2024 (3:14 pm)

DUI. Driving and driving no matter what speed= danger .

SouthbySouthWest April 22, 2024 (11:39 am)

Ralph Nader wrote “Unsafe at Any Speed” almost 60 years ago. Not much has changed.

anonyme April 22, 2024 (1:41 pm)

Nader is 90 years old now, but I wish he were running for president instead of the other two old men we’re stuck with.
Jeepney April 22, 2024 (2:32 pm)

To be fair, Nader’s book hastened the demise of the Corvair, so at least that changed.

Rosemary April 22, 2024 (12:34 pm)

So grateful for our first responder firefighters who have become experts in saving humans and pets in vehicle crashes.

SW Alaska Resident April 22, 2024 (1:29 pm)

The car was driven by a nanny with 2 small kids 1 child was hers and the other she was sitting. She hit a neighbor’s truck and flipped the van. A parent came and picked up the other child. The police did a breathalyzer on the driver. Sad to say she did not pass the test. The police handcuffed her and took her away. A neighbor stayed to comfort the children and parent. The van was towed away. The child of the driver was taken away, assuming by child protective services? Awful!

WSB April 22, 2024 (1:56 pm)

They were transporting a child to the precinct. I haven’t obtained followup information yet but that would explain while a child was taken there without parent/guardian.
- WSB April 22, 2024 (2:57 pm)
  
  Police confirm the arrest.

n7oep April 22, 2024 (3:32 pm)

DUI at 9:00 in the morning? With kids in the car? Sheesh….

wsres April 23, 2024 (7:54 pm)

There are a lot of people that get high first thing in the morning. I wonder if it was pot? Can that be tested by breathalizer?

Joan April 22, 2024 (4:15 pm)

Wow, not only was she DUI but early in the morning. How many other mornings when she wasn’t caught was she also impaired, and caring for kids? Her career is over.

anonyme April 22, 2024 (4:36 pm)

Unfortunately, her “career” is only over if she was licensed and/or worked for a service. If she’s a freelancer parents might never know who they are hiring, and how many actually do background checks?

Admiral-2009 April 22, 2024 (5:10 pm)

People convicted of impaired driving need be required to purchase car insurance with at least $1,000,000 coverage, for a minimum of 3 years, and pay into a fund to help compensate for innocent people injured by impaired driver’s.

TTT April 23, 2024 (7:55 pm)

I’d vote for that to go into effect!

Yma April 22, 2024 (5:49 pm)

Hopefully this woman will get the help she desperately needs.

Lisab April 23, 2024 (9:00 am)

And stays OFF the road so she doesn’t KILL an innocent. No excuse.

WSzombie April 22, 2024 (8:00 pm)

I wonder if she started drinking at 9am or was still drunk from the night before.

AT April 22, 2024 (8:48 pm)

Glad the kids are OK, but a CX-5 is a compact SUV, not a van.

WSB April 22, 2024 (9:00 pm)

That was how it was originally dispatched, before we got to the scene, and how the responders described it at the scene, so that’s what I had.

Skell April 23, 2024 (12:17 pm)

I hope cps investigates her and removes her child and forbids her from continuing to work as a nanny. What a terrible and traumatic way for that poor innocent kid of hers to grow up. Shameless, awful, careless mother drinking and driving her young child and someone else’s child DRUNK AT 9AM ON A MONDAY MORNING. What is wrong with people!?! I can’t imagine what the parents of the other child must be feeling right now. She could have killed their baby

Sorry, comment time is over.