5:23 AM: Thanks for the tips. The eastbound high bridge is closed right now because of a crash investigation. Police radio suggests this could last at least until after 6:30 am. (added) Archived SFD/SPD radio indicates this happened around 3:30 am near the 1st Avenue South exit and was described as a single-vehicle crash, a Tesla Model 3 from which one person needed to be extricated.
5:47 AM: A commenter and one of the few operating SDOT cameras in the area indicate that the closure is at the 99 overpass; you can get onto the bridge but you’ll be diverted onto NB 99.
6:10 AM: Added screengrab from SDOT camera looking west toward the crash scene and the 99 overpass and exit. The wrecked car, which is white, is partly visible.
6:53 AM: Officers just told dispatch that the bridge should reopen soon after SDOT finishes cleaning up the scene.
7:01 AM: All but one lane of the EB bridge has now fully reopened, We’ll update this story with whatever followup information we get later about injury/circumstances.
8:45 AM: Here’s the summary from SPD:
On Friday July 19, 2024, at 0326 hours a white Tesla was travelling at a high rate-of-speed eastbound on the West Seattle bridge. The vehicle failed to maintain its lane of travel and careened between the north and south cement barriers before coming to rest, quite a distance later. The 33-year-old male driver showed obvious signs of impairment and was placed under arrest. The 25-year-old female passenger suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. She was transported to Harborview Medical Center via Medic One. It was expected the adult male driver would be booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Vehicular Assault, pending medical evaluation by hospital staff.
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