UPDATE: Car-on-side crash at Admiral/46th

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli unless otherwise credited)

5:38 PM: Thanks for the tips. Emergency responders are at the scene of an SFD “rescue extrication” callout for a flipped vehicle. Avoid the area – 46th/Admiral Way. Updates to come.

5:47 PM: Actually it’s a car on its side, as our photos show. SFD says two people have been rescued from the car and that firefighter/medics say both are in stable condition.

6:01 PM: Photos show at least three vehicles involved – the one that went sideways, a UPS truck, and from another angle sent by a nearby resident, an SUV with front-end damage.

(Photo sent by nearby resident)

6:16 PM:Westbound Admiral is reopening, police are telling dispatch. Eastbound remains closed pending tow truck(s). Meantime, Christopher Boffoli has been at the scene for WSB; he spoke with the UPS truck driver, who reports being tangentially involved – the two other vehicles collided and then slid into the truck, which had minimal damage. Christopher has also confirmed that only one of the two people rescued from the sideways car was taken to the hospital, and that was via private ambulance, so her injuries were not considered life-threatening.

6:31 PM: Now eastbound Admiral is reopening too.

ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: One driver, a 73-year-old woman, was arrested and booked into jail for investigation of DUI. Police say the woman taken to the hospital is 96 and was a passenger in the arrested driver’s car. According to the police narrative we obtained this morning, they both were in the vehicle that went sideways and were the two people extricated. Police say multiple witnesses told them that the “vehicle begin traveling through the intersection, bypass the lane of congested westbound traffic and collide into (the other vehicle) which was traveling in eastbound lane.” They took the driver into custody after observing signs they interpreted as impairment; they say she reported having a “large” alcoholic beverage with dinner at an Admiral restaurant. In addition to the arrest for investigation of DUI, the report says she was cited at the scene for failure to yield at an intersection.

on the block April 16, 2025 (6:34 pm)

Does anyone know if an arrest of some sort was made? A police officer leaving the scene area had a younger male in the back. Not sure if this incident related or cars looping around from Alki to the residence streets.

Admiral Neighbor April 16, 2025 (7:14 pm)

Reply

Yes, one person was arrested at the scene. It looked like they were from the upright car in front of the UPS truck.
Dk April 17, 2025 (6:11 am)

Reply

Yes. The driver of the non over turned vehicle was arrested at the scene

1994 April 16, 2025 (10:02 pm)

Looks like a lucky near miss for the UPS driver who appears to be stopped at a stop sign. And the near miss was on the driver’s side of the truck, double lucky. Hoping the other car occupants are OK.

WSB April 17, 2025 (10:42 am)

Police confirmed one person was arrested. Also, the person who was taken to the hospital is 96 years old and was a passenger in that woman’s car. Still reading through the report details I’ve just obtained and will update above when I can.

WSB April 17, 2025 (10:48 am)

However, please note that police say the arrested driver and injured passenger were in the vehicle that went sideways.

Susan April 17, 2025 (11:58 am)

I live down the street from this accident and am glad nobody was seriously hurt. Admiral Way has become a highway full of careless, speeding drivers and its only a matter of time before there’s a fatality. I had to laugh at the notion of adding more density to the neighborhood when its already woefully lacking in bus transportation and Admiral Way now regularly has four block traffic backups in the afternoon. A few weeks ago while waiting to cross at 47th Street I saw an SUV speed by with the driver looking down at her phone. I turned to see if she slowed down as the traffic had stopped at 46th, to see her slam into the car in front of her moments later. I’ve seen other crazy distracted, aggressive or 50 mph driving in this same vicinity. As well as coming off the bridge and heading north up the Admiral hill.

ITotallyAgreeWithYou April 17, 2025 (11:53 pm)

Reply

That is particularly disturbing to hear as that is how Matthew Nakata was killed in 2006 and why there is a traffic light at 47th and Admiral, a crosswalk my home overlooked for many years. A driver on his cellphone was distracted going up Admiral Way and struck Nakata as he crossed in the crosswalk at 47th killing him. It saddens me that lesson has been forgotten or never known to some and people are still driving distracted and recklessly in that area and causing accidents.

ltmmgm April 17, 2025 (12:22 pm)

OMG! I guess you’re never too old to “not” learn that drinking and driving doesn’t mix well. And the poor UPS driver will still have an accident on his records at work even thought they were not at fault. 😔

Mike April 18, 2025 (6:40 pm)

Thanks to Teresa M and the cop haters we have very little capacity for traffic law enforcement. Ie, not enuf cops for traffic control. On Admiral Way leading down to the bridge speeds well in excess of 50 mph are common. Speeds estimated at 80+mph are not unusual. Damn dangerous.