UPDATE: Rescue callout for Beach Drive car-on-side crash

Barry M October 16, 2025 (7:28 am)

Jeep was doing at least 100 mph south on beach drive and didn’t navigate the curve hit two cars on the east side of beach drive then rolled. The smaller car was blasted at least 150 down the street.

rico maloney October 16, 2025 (7:45 am)

Someone had to be well under the influence to pull this off. Ms. driver wiped out three cars and part of a house on a straight stretch of road.She destroyed our car. She wrecked those of others. Mr. Police said she was high or drunk.Hoping the driver has plenty of insurance, but I kinda doubt it.Hope she recovers, but, frankly, I hope she loses her driving privileges forever.Fortunately, we are equipped to sue the pants off her, and let judgments do to her life what she did to our property.

1994 October 16, 2025 (8:51 pm)

Unfortunately if Ms driver loses her driving privileges forever Ms driver may still continue to drive. We can only hope this has been an educating experience for Ms driver and be one she does not repeat. Sorry to all those who got property damage and fingers crossed there is some financial compensation from Ms driver.

Blbl October 16, 2025 (8:40 am)

I’m troubled that people seem to no longer know the difference between a.m. and p.m.

WSB October 16, 2025 (9:14 am)

Sorry, a simple “hey, you meant AM not PM” would suffice. (We appreciate typo reports.) Fixed.
- Eric1 October 16, 2025 (10:10 am)
  
  LOL. I don’t comment about typos and writing styles since I was never an English major. Heck, I don’t even comment about things I know about professionally as I am somewhat confident of my lack of knowledge on that subject.
YT October 16, 2025 (9:34 am)

Bibl, do you actually think the writer doesn’t know the difference between AM and PM? Do you commonly see people not knowing the difference, because I don’t think I ever have. I’m very sorry to hear that this troubles you. That must be very difficult.
- Blbl October 16, 2025 (1:30 pm)
  
  I don’t know what the writer thinks. I do see people using it incorrectly quite often. And yes, that bothers me.
  - Josh October 16, 2025 (3:33 pm)
    
    Blbl, you are quite inconsiderate to complain about a typo. We all make mistakes… Just be happy we have one or the best resources a neighborhood can have with the WSB.
    - WSB October 16, 2025 (3:43 pm)
      
      Thanks kindly to those who’ve come to my defense. This one was pretty egregious, though … often while working on something that bridges late night/early morning, I get *one* AM or PM wrong, but before I corrected it, this had three! I started my professional life as a paid proofreader at age 17 and teenage me would be horrified at elder me …TR
    - pelicans October 16, 2025 (4:23 pm)
      
      Tracy, with the sheer volume of content you put out around the clock, every day, every week, a typo or three here or there comes with the territory. Your “gentle readers” will usually let you know. Anyone who reads knows the big news sites, local news sites, etc. often have misspellings, misstatements, misquotes that are so bad they can change the whole meaning or truth of the article. It often seems as if, to economize, the positions of editors and proof readers have largely been eliminated. And don’t get me started on AI generated reporting! Safe to say, most of us will take human created WSB any day, typo(s) and all.
      Thank you for all you do.
Wendell October 16, 2025 (10:23 am)

I’m troubled that people don’t know the difference between critical thinking and unnecessary criticism.

Jay October 16, 2025 (9:41 am)

It’s so frustrating to see these crashes. It’s not an accident, to total two parked cars and hit a house (doing so much damage to the frame that the fire department had to cut a hole in the roof of the SUV with the jaws of life to extract them) that driver must have been going well over 50mph in a 25mph zone. One parked car has a bent frame and an axle knocked out, the other has an obliterated engine compartment and a what looks like a bend in the lower beam of the frame downwards from the doors from ricochet damage. This is the type of crime that scares me the most in West Seattle.

KCEMT October 16, 2025 (2:23 pm)

What is bad is if the driver who caused the incident has no insurance. Then it falls back on hone/auto owners which can be a real headache.
Tim Thomas October 16, 2025 (3:26 pm)

I agree. I regularly see people driving in a way that risks the lives of everyone around them, whether driving or walking. I am shocked by the number of rollover accidents in WS residential neighborhoods.

Northadmiral October 16, 2025 (9:41 am)

Very good pictures. Homeowner.: sorry that happened.. it must be pretty distressing to think someone could drive into your property like that… maybe a large rockery would add additional stop point for somebody driving crazy?

Foop October 16, 2025 (11:44 am)

Better yet, let’s reduce the lane width, remove parking from one side, widen the sidewalk, add a 2 way bike lane and maybe some raised pedestrian crossings near parks and neighborhood egress points so beach drive becomes safer for everyone, and we can connect the multimodal path between Lincoln park and downtown that’s missing there.
- Craig October 16, 2025 (12:37 pm)
  
  Yes! I live near Beach Dr on the long straight section and every single night people go down it 50+ mph. Every single night no exceptions. I see side by side passes all the time. During the day I see cars get SO close to the bikes using it to connect the large green spaces it bridges. It needs to be updated to align with its use and discourage it from being a fast drive road.

Beach enjoyer October 16, 2025 (10:42 am)

Beach Drive needs more traffic calming. Speed cushions, raised crosswalks, bike lanes with concrete barriers, whatever it just needs to be a safer street.

Jay October 16, 2025 (12:14 pm)

If it had some updates it would be a great connector between Alki and Lincoln Park. Not sure if the residents would appreciate it the construction and road diet, but this is a well trafficked and important route for cyclists and pedestrians.
Al King October 16, 2025 (12:45 pm)

Beach enjoyer/Foop. If the driver was impaired tell us why all your street fixes will stop them from mayhem.
- Foop October 16, 2025 (4:48 pm)
  
  Al, are you worried because you often speed drunkenly through your neighborhood? Or is this just concern trolling. We shouldn’t shy away from changes that keep a majority of us safe because of the few bad actors that will abuse society.
  - Al King October 17, 2025 (5:57 am)
    
    Foop. Sorry, I don’t drink. Lame troll though. Speaks volumes on you.
  - Canton October 17, 2025 (7:14 am)
    
    How does one interpret their opinion as the majority?…
- K October 17, 2025 (6:32 am)
  
  If the road is narrower and more challenging to traverse, an impaired person will crash sooner, at a lower rate of speed, which does less damage to impacted vehicles and decreases the chances they’ll make it all the way to a house before stopping. It’s the same philosophy as slowing cars down to help pedestrians: you can’t force drivers to look for pedestrians, but at least if you slow them down the pedestrian is more likely to survive the injuries.
- Josh October 18, 2025 (11:36 am)
  
  @al king Making the road bumpier, more narrow, bendier, and with half the cars parked on it would in this specific instance have made it harder for the scofflaw to get up to the speed they had and hence cause less damage, also add in the maybe hit no cars instead of three if there arent any of that side of the road. So yes, the proposed changes would very likely make it much harder to do this kind of damage.

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy October 16, 2025 (11:35 am)

One car is still there now (11:30 am. Yes AM Blbl…)

Jake October 16, 2025 (11:50 am)

Reduce all lanes and bring speed limits way down. We need way more road diets. West Seattle drivers are just insane.

Ts October 16, 2025 (12:27 pm)

Harder fines/sentences for reckless driving/racing, multiple DUIs especially if ignition breathalyzers are not installed after being ordered too and or driving without license and insurance after a DUI. Impound and sale of vehicles without license plates involved in these infractions or at least three day minimum and no release without proof of insurance and installation of ignition breathalyzers if judge ordered.As to that road, my recent trip down it (post my own avoidable accident) was painful due to road conditions and felt too narrow in some places. Would be worth it consider removing one lane of parking and/or making it a one way

TN October 16, 2025 (3:04 pm)

I live on Beach Drive and my car was hit last week while parked on the street overnight and totaled. This is happening way too frequently.

E October 16, 2025 (3:37 pm)

I just emailed SDOT asking there was plans for traffic calming and protected bike lanes on Beach Drive. This is long overdue. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to persuade law makers to regulate car makers themselves to restrict size, weight, speed etc. Car makers are responsible for our car dependence, but then they put the responsibility for safety on drivers amd vulnerable road users. Like big pharma, tobacco and gun makers, car makers have been let off the hook for too long.

But for now, let’s protect each other in the city we love and live in.

PS: for those wondering how traffic calming would also save an impaired driver from himself, he would at least be less likely from murdering another human being. Fortunately this didn’t happen here, but that is more from sheer dumb luck.

JM October 16, 2025 (3:58 pm)

Speeders are rampant on every road in WS. Admiral might as well be I-5! Cars race up and down Hanford and then use the side streets like they’re on a race track to cut over to Admiral so they can hit their gas pedal! It’s absurd. Young people are learning their horrible driving habits from observing their parents who have zero respect for the roads others live on. Disgusting behavior that keeps getting worse and worse as enforcement is zero!

G October 16, 2025 (8:13 pm)

Agreed. Adults run stop signs regularly just because others are taking their stop, so why should they stop at all? People, your kids are watching. Care about your community, stop living in your bubble!
G October 16, 2025 (8:13 pm)

Adults run stop signs regularly just because others are taking their stop, so why should they stop at all? People, your kids are watching. Care about your community, stop living in your bubble!

JM October 16, 2025 (3:58 pm)

Speeders are rampant on every road in WS. Admiral might as well be I-5! Cars race up and down Hanford and then use the side streets like they’re on a race track to cut over to Admiral so they can hit their gas pedal! It’s absurd. Young people are learning their horrible driving habits from observing their parents who have zero respect for the roads others live on. Disgusting behavior that keeps getting worse and worse as enforcement is zero!

Higginshere October 16, 2025 (5:05 pm)

Congratulations and thanks to BLBL who has mastered the difference between a.m. and p.m. and will let us know when we get it wrong.

Beach Dr Resident October 16, 2025 (8:20 pm)

I live on Beach Dr and have lost two cars in two years to DUIs. I’m all for whatever drastic measures slow people down. I’m afraid to let my son play in the front yard lest someone drive through it. I think more speed bumps, protected bike lane instead of parking on the water side, and a couple tree/median things in the middle of the straights.

Cam M October 20, 2025 (7:53 pm)

Does anyone know what the smashed up Ford Focus is still just sitting there on the sidewalk 4 days later?? I’ve driven past it everyday and now it has plastic over the windows.

WSB October 20, 2025 (8:17 pm)

We’ve checked before on left-behind crashed cars. Owners usually have the option of arranging for their own tow. (We saw both hit-that-night cars sitting there on a drive through the area this afternoon …)