West Seattle, Washington
27 Thursday
After “soft open” test runs, Mission is ready to reopen! We stopped by on Sunday night for a couple photos and a quick chat with new co-proprietor Gina Topp. She says she, husband Ben Johnson, and team have three major intentions: #1, “Keep Mission, Mission” – so you won’t find any big changes, though they did “streamline” the menu (which she says is updated online). #2, “Be stewards in our community.” #3, “Be a really positive place for our employees to work.” Rather than pose for a pic for us, in fact, she wanted to instead spotlight their two general managers:
GM Mike Adams is in charge of the bar and community relations. GM Cley Herrera Johnson oversees the kitchen, servers, and hosts. Returning in the kitchen is Mission’s cook of 11 years, Beto Candejas. You can check it all out for yourself starting at 4 pm Tuesday, at 2325 California SW.
P.S. One of those community-stewardship efforts – Gina says educators and veterans get a 20 percent discount, so be sure to mention it if you’re in either of those categories.
That was the most touching moment of today’s Memorial Day remembrance at Forest Lawn in West Seattle – the presentation of a U.S. flag to Gregorio Garcia, one of a dozen Filipino American World War II veterans honored with Congressional Gold Medals in 2017. This afternoon’s event had a special spotlight on Filipino Americans, as it was held in partnership with the National Federation of Filipino American Associations.
NaFFAA’s national president Mariela Fletcher spoke about being “united in remembrance and gratitude” for veterans, who “embody faith and resilience” as a “guiding light.” She also reflected on “these troubling times” and urged everyone present, “let us be peacemakers.” Also urging a peaceful resolution for current conflicts was Maricres Valdez Castro. who sang the national anthem and read a poem about her grandfather’s brothers, who died in WWII:
Other speakers included John Miller, with a brief tribute to those who gave their lives “knowing that our country is worth any risk.”
Here’s the event in its entirety, starting with the anthem:
The flag-handling was by members of the Seattle Police Honor Guard.
Flags in the cemetery were placed by volunteers Shawn Vogt and Vina Vogt:
This is the first year that Forest Lawn has held the previously annual ceremony since 2019.
Thanks to Rosalie Miller for the wildlife photos from Constellation Park, during the last in this round of low-low tides. Above, a Painted Anemone; below, a Lewis’s Moon Snail:
Here’s an Ochre Sea Star:
And a Chiton:
Next round of low-low tides will get even lower, with four days of -3.0 (or further) low tides, June 5-8. (Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be at Constellation and Lincoln Parks for all of those days.)
(Victim’s photo, as displayed at April 27 vigil)
2:02 PM: The man initially accused in the hit-run death of 81-year-old Tommy Joe Garrett, then released when a judge disagreed with prosecutors’ charging proposal, has been charged after all. Thanks to commenter K for the tip; the King County Jail roster shows 37-year-old Isaiah L. Cooper of Puyallup has been in custody since last Thursday, after the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed a charge of felony hit-and-run two days before that – the day after he was released from jail. The jail docket indicates Cooper’s bail is set at half a million dollars. We’ll add details from the charging documents later.
4:00 PM: The charging document suggests what the additional evidence might be – a warrant to uncover the car. Here’s how the document summarizes the allegation – warning that it includes a graphic description of the collision:
On Monday evening on April 22, 2024, the defendant, 37-y-o Isaiah Lewis Cooper, was driving his Jeep Compass in the White Center neighborhood of King County. He went to a McDonald’s where he is seen driving. No one is seen in the passenger seat. There is no apparent damage to the hood of the car. He is not seen responding to anyone in the rear seat. This is captured on video.
Approximately 5-minutes later, and a couple blocks from the McDonald’s, at 10:09 p.m., 82-year-old Thomas Joseph Garrett was walking in the crosswalk of SW Roxbury St and 15 Av SW. Video shows a Jeep, later identified as the defendant’s, strike Mr. Garrett. The impact caused Mr. Garrett to fly onto the hood of the defendant’s vehicle and he is carried on the defendant’s car hood for approximately three seconds. The defendant brakes, causing Mr. Garrett to roll off the hood and onto the road. The defendant then continued to drive eastbound on Roxbury, leaving Mr. Garrett abandoned in the roadway. The traffic behind the defendant comes to a stop, as bystanders halt traffic and call for help. Both law enforcement and medics attempted to perform aid on Mr. Garrett before he was transported to Harborview Hospital, where he was pronounced dead within the hour of the collision.
Based on the surveillance and eyewitness reports, investigators were able to identify the defendant in the driver’s seat at the McDonalds. The defendant’s cell data corroborates that he was within 148’ of the collision. It also showed that he went to Port Orchard on 4/24/2024. His car was later recovered from his father’s house in Port Orchard. It was covered with a tarp and the defendant’s father confirmed that the defendant dropped it off and covered it “several weeks ago.”
On May 16, 2024, law enforcement contacted the defendant. He admitted that he had been in the vicinity of the collision on 4-22-2024 and that he subsequently left his car in Port Orchard. He denied hitting anyone. The Jeep was seized with the cover still on pending a search warrant to uncover it.
The case prosecutor then goes on to write that she “received the following information” from the “primary investigating detective”:
On May 20, King County Superior Court Judge J. Bender approved a Search Warrant to uncover the suspect vehicle. According to King County Det. Skaar, the uncovering revealed damage on the hood of the car consistent with a low-speed pedestrian collision. Specifically, Det Skaar stated that he observed multiple dents along the edge of the hood up to the back edge of the hood to the right of the center line, consistent with the damage that he would expect based on the video of the pedestrian strike on 4-22-2024. The license plate, which had been properly on the front bumper of the Jeep on the night of the collision at the McDonald’s was now moved from bumper to passenger side dashboard.
We noted in a previous report that Cooper’s record was said to include “numerous driving violations”; the charging document lists them – scattered over the past 15 years – as DUI, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, no insurance, speeding, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving on the wrong side of the road, and making a false statement to law enforcement, as well as Seattle Municipal Court warrants for a 2019 case alleging “no interlock” and suspended license. Cooper is scheduled for arraignment – the hearing at which a defendant enters an initial plea – next Monday, June 3.
ADDED TUESDAY: KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney says this is why the first attempt to charge Cooper was rejected: “It was not clear on the initial submission that additional investigation that had to be done by police on the day of the second appearance was submitted under the penalty of perjury. It was resubmitted with that being clear, and the court approved the charges. (Courts are only allowed to consider facts submitted under the penalty of perjury.)”
(WSB photos)
More volunteering on this Memorial Day! Outside the West Seattle Triangle building that is home to American Legion Post 160, the WS Veteran Center, and Westside Neighbors Shelter, a mini-park centered on Peace Poles is taking shape, and an Eagle Scout’s project is adding to it today.
That’s Troop 282 Eagle Scout Lincoln Saad, there today to install – with helpers – benches built for the mini-park:
Lincoln planned the project along with Keith Hughes, who runs the center/post/shelter and is creating the mini-park. Thanks to Don for the tip about today’s installation, noting that it honors “the war heroes’ contribution to preserving our freedom we hold so dear to all of us.”
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
BURGLARIZED TWICE IN 5 DAYS: Thanks to neighbors for tips on this. Junction True Value managers confirmed to WSB today that the store has been burglarized twice in the past five days. The first one happened just before 2 am Wednesday; the second one happened around 3:30 am today. The store says the burglar(s) got away with about $4,000 in tools in the Wednesday break-in, fewer tools today; they suspect an organized ring might be targeting their store. Police-audio archives indicate the burglar(s) left in a stolen car found on a nearby dead-end street (Rutan Place, per a neighbor) and ran into a brushy area. Police searched but, the audio indicates, had trouble getting extra resources – no aerial resources were available, and no SPD canine, though a King County Sheriff’s Office K-9 (from Kirkland) was eventually dispatched. (Update: Archive audio indicates the search eventually ended unsuccessfully.) If you have any information, this morning’s incident # is 24-143457, while the Wednesday number is 24-138494.
DUMPED-POSSIBLY-STOLEN LICENSE PLATES: The photo and report are from Austin:
I was taking out some trash this morning and noticed some suspicious items were dumped in my can in Seaview overnight, including license plates and other items that look like they could have been from a stolen car (hats, camera cases, food trash) There was even a bleach bottle…which was extra strange.
Austin is working on reporting this to police, but in the meantime, if the plates and/or hats happen to be yours, contact us and we can connect you. (Added: A
(WSB photos)
Flags are flying along California SW in the heart of The Junction today, thanks to volunteers spanning a wide age range.
The Junction Association recruits volunteers for occasions like this; they gathered this morning to put the flags in place, and will be back at the end of the day to remove them.
If you notice that some of the flags – like the one in that photo – look new, good eye; The Junction says generous donors helped cover the cost of some replacements recently.
P.S. If you’re interested in joining The Junction’s volunteer ranks for future occasions, go here!
(Juvenile Bald Eagles, photographed this week by James Tilley)
Here’s info you might find useful on this Memorial Day Monday:
TRANSIT
Metro: Sunday schedule
West Seattle Water Taxi and its shuttles: Sunday schedule
Washington State Ferries: No announced changes
Sound Transit: Schedule changes here
Other services: See a list here
TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Our page highlighting local cameras is here
SDOT’s map with cameras and alerts from around the city is here
CLOSURES/CHANGES
Seattle Public Library facilities
Schools
Government offices
Banks
No charge for street parking in Seattle neighborhoods with city pay stations
OPEN
Highland Park Spraypark (11 am-8 pm, 1100 SW Cloverdale)
Colman Pool (noon-7 pm, on Lincoln Park shore, session schedule here)
SPECIAL EVENTS
*American Legion poppies will be available outside Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska) again today, by donation
*For the first time since 2019, a Memorial Day remembrance will be held at Forest Lawn (6701 30th SW), 2 pm, all welcome
*Volunteer beach naturalists will be at Constellation Park (63rd/Beach) and Lincoln Park, 12:15 pm-3:15 pm, for low-low tide (-2.4 feet at 2:19 pm)
Anything else we should know/let others know about? Texting’s the best way to reach us today – 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Another round of reported gunfire has brought multiple 911 calls and a police response confirming it. This time, in an alley off the 9000 block of 17th SW. Officers have told dispatch they’ve found five shell casings so far. No injuries reported.
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