(WSB photos)
8:09 AM: We’re separating this coverage from the morning traffic updates, as police are reporting this was fatal: A bicycle rider has died in what is reported as a collision with a truck at 47th SW and SW Wildwood in Fauntleroy, south of the ferry dock.
8:32 AM: The investigation will likely close Wildwood – the street between SW Fauntleroy and Barton/California – for quite some time. Our crew has just arrived in the area; adding photos.
8:48 AM: Police confirm to us that the truck above is the one involved. (WSB policy is that we do not show bodies, covered or otherwise; the victim and their bicycle remain in the street in front of by the truck.)
9 AM: This is the first West Seattle crash in which a bicycle rider died since the Arbor Heights collision that killed Steve Hulsman two and a half years ago. Not counting bridge incidents, the last fatal West Seattle crash of any kind was the one-car collision in Seaview in October 2024 that killed driver Riley Kestner.
9:50 AM: No additional information so far but we’ll be following up throughout the day. Note that the C Line is rerouted.
11:14 AM: Metro says that reroute has ended, which suggests the scene has cleared; we’ll go down the hill to check shortly.
NOON: Confirmed, reopened.
1:06 PM: We asked SPD for information a few hours ago. Here’s the summary that we just received:
At 7:59 a.m., dispatch received reports of a collision involving a bicyclist and a box truck near 47th Avenue and Southwest Wildwood Place. Officers and Seattle Fire Department medics arrived and found an adult female on the ground with injuries. Unfortunately, the woman succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Officers cordoned off the area and the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad (TCIS) arrived to investigate. The 60-year-old driver of the box truck remained on scene and cooperated with the investigators.
The investigation revealed the woman was traveling eastbound on Southwest Wildwood Place on her bike. She veered off and struck a parked car; she then corrected and turned into a box truck traveling east and was hit.
The truck driver was evaluated at the scene and showed no signs of impairment.
This continues to be an ongoing investigation.
We also have a witness account, from a nearby resident who CC’d us on a message to the city asking that parking on Wildwood be removed:
’m writing as a neighbor who witnessed the horrific and preventable killing of a community member biking on 47th and Wildwood this morning. I’m incredibly heartbroken, for them, their family, friends, and the entire community. To save future community members, please remove all street parking on Wildwood.
The bicyclist was trapped between the parked cars on Wildwood and the Vashon Trucking truck. They swerved into the parked cars to avoid the truck, but bounced off of them and were crushed by the truck.
This is a central thoroughfare that connects the WSDOT ferry system with SDOT Streets. I understand installing bike lanes, especially protected continuous bike lanes, is a long term project due to the funding and staffing priorities of the Mayor and City Council. In the short term, please remove all street parking on Wildwood SW to ensure no more community members are killed.
SDOT has told us in the past that they evaluate the locations of deadly incidents to see if there are any changes that would increase safety. So we’re asking them about any immediate plans to look at this location.
6:33 PM: SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson has replied to our question: “We were deeply saddened to learn that a woman died this morning while riding her bicycle. Seattle Police Department is currently leading the investigation into this death. SDOT’s standard practice is to conduct an initial site review shortly after fatal collisions.” He’s not sure yet how soon that will be but promises to let us know. Also tonight, we went back to the crash site to look for any roadside memorial and found these:
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