The WSBeat is back from hiatus. These are summaries written from recent incident reports filed by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have NOT already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports; some are not crimes – police deal with many crisis cases – but might at least answer a lingering question such as “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” among other places …

*Officers driving near 30th and SW Hinds on October 28th got a “ping” on their car computer, indicating that a vehicle they had driven past was reported stolen — in this case, from Portland. They spoke with a man in a nearby home who claimed he had bought the car off Craigslist but couldn’t provide proof of ownership. Because he was wanted on a Seattle warrant for residential burglary, he was arrested and booked into King County Jail. The car was impounded.

*The same day, a female driver pulled over on Harbor Avenue to photograph the fall foliage. A man walking along the trail took advantage of the opportunity to approach the car and try to open the locked passenger door several times. She yelled at him and he walked off. The woman reported no injury and said that the suspect seemed “high” on something.

Five more summaries ahead:

*The legal guardian of an elderly man is refusing to follow through on signing Medicaid documents for him. She keeps delaying, telling the nursing home staff that she will “lose money” if she does so. Without the signature, the gentleman can’t be enrolled in hospice for his end of life care. The caseworker at the nursing home asked officers to document the situation, which she has tried for months to address. Adult Protective Services has been notified. His funds for current care ran out at the end of October; unless the situation was resolved, he was on schedule to receive a 30-day notice to vacate the premises.

*A resident of Gatewood Hill called 911 on the 3rd to report sounds of a domestic disturbance in a nearby apartment. Mom was off her medications, had threatened suicide, and left. Dad went over to help (although there was a protection order against him). Officers found three children (ages 4, 5 and 10), three dogs and two hedgehogs amid dirty dishes, mold on the windows, food on the floor, and a refrigerator stocked with only condiments and cheese slices. The bathroom had no vanity or sink, and the floor of the tub (which appeared unused) was covered in broken glass. Because of the protection order, officers were obliged to arrest dad; they were able to make contact with mom, who was later transported to the hospital for a mental evaluation. The children were taken by Child Protective Services. The dogs were taken to the Seattle Animal Shelter. The hedgehogs were left in their cage “with plenty of water and food.”

*On the 28th, officers checked the welfare of a 56-year-old woman living in a van on 19th SW. The van was packed with belongings and garbage; her wheelchair (she has one leg), shopping carts and other personal items were strewn around a nearby parking trip. The woman refused any help from the officer, stating that her daughter visits occasionally to help her tidy up and obtain services. She was told that she needs to clean the area and find a new place to live. The officer notified the Crisis Intervention Team to follow up with the woman.

*An employee of a Morgan Junction business called 911 around 2:30 a.m. on the 8th after a naked woman ran through the lobby, into the bathroom, and locked the door. She did not respond when officers knocked. The manager provided a key, and officers found her standing naked, shaking, with her pupils dilated and clothes piled around. She answered no questions until the officer asked if she was on medication. She then admitted that she had used “meth” and wanted help. She was transported to Harborview.

*Family is flying in from the East Coast to help with their daughter, living locally, who is experiencing a mental health crisis. Having recently completed military service, she is suffering from manic and depressive episodes and had been walking around outside her apartment in the nude. The officer’s report notes that she had not slept for four days, repeatedly broke into song and dance during their conversation, offered up her favorite stuffed animal as a gift. She said she wanted to swim to the bottom of the ocean, but barring that wanted to go to an island on a private jet. She also invited the officers and their families along. Her boyfriend is caring for her until family arrives.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here.

Share This

The WSBeat features summaries written from recent incident reports filed by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have NOT already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports; some are not crimes, but might at least answer a lingering question such as “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*A group of people left a bowling alley on the 9th without paying their tab. An employee ran outside to persuade them to ante up. He reached them just as a driver from a car service pulled alongside. The employee advised the driver not to take the passengers, warning that if he did, his car’s license would be provided to police as “the getaway car.” The driver left; the employee was punched in the face twice and kicked in the head four times by two men in the group. A bystander who tried to help was also kicked in the head. The attackers fled eastbound on SW Oregon. One was described as a white man, about 6’2”, in his forties, with gray hair. He wore a black sweater with white stripes. The other was described as a Hispanic man in his forties, wearing a white button-up shirt and black slacks.

Ahead, seven more summaries, including a stopped shoplifter, a rental scam, and warrant arrests:

*On the afternoon of August 5th, a twenty-year-old Montana resident ran out of a Harbor Avenue convenience store with an armful of items and threw them into his car. To his dismay, he did this and pulled out of the parking lot just as an officer was pulling *into* it. He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of theft/shoplift.

*A local apartment manager reports that someone is running fraudulent Craigslist ads for an apartment rental in West Seattle. He or she pockets the funds, and when the would-be renters show up, they find that no apartment is available. Both CL and PayPal have been alerted.

*Acting on a request from Lakewood police, officers were able to track down and arrest a 27-year-old West Seattle resident wanted on a no-bail warrant for sexual assault of a child. He was booked into King County Jail on the 6th.

*When they saw a man shaking in what appeared to be physical distress, concerned officers pulled over near Avalon and SW Genesee on the 5th. The man claimed to be OK. But after a routine records check showed that he was wanted on a $7,500 warrant for property destruction, the 24-year-old was booked into King County Jail.

*On the 10th, officers followed and clocked a woman driving on Olson Place SW at nearly 50 mph in a 30-mph zone. When stopped, she explained that she was late for her mother’s birthday party. She also admitted she didn’t have a driver’s license. A records check showed she was wanted in SeaTac ($250) for driving without a license and in Renton ($1,100) for theft. She was arrested and booked into the SCORE jail in SeaTac for the warrants.

*A driver suspected of being high on heroin was involved in a four-car collision at 8th and SW Cloverdale on the 6th. Officers viewed syringes (one loaded with a brown liquid) in plain sight in his car; his pupils were pinpoints. He didn’t seem to be in pain. He provided an out of state driver’s license, and when asked for the registration he began looking in the glove box. Seconds later he asked, “What am I looking for again?” Medics began taking him to Highline but when the severity of his injuries (life-threatening) became evident, he was diverted to Harborview.

*On the 5th, in the 6900 block of Delridge Way SW, at least four citizens called 911 to report that one of their neighbors was intoxicated, pounding on doors, and yelling that residents were Muslims “who kill people.” He vowed he was going to “kill and destroy” the officers who responded to the scene. He also approached one with a lit cigarette and stated he was going to extinguish it in the officer’s eye. Officers de-escalated the situation enough that the suspect became willing to take a seat. Then one of the officers spotted a handgun near the suspect’s feet. When the officer tried to grab the gun, the suspect stood up, grabbed that officer by the shirt and then grabbed the other officer’s radio. They were able to remove his hands and place him into handcuffs. When other officers arrived to transport the suspect, they were greeted with mouthful of spit to their faces. His response when read his rights? “F*^& you, bitch.” He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of three counts of assault.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have NOT already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, and many are not crimes, but might at least answer a lingering question such as “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*In Arbor Heights, a man knocked on the front door of a residence on July 28th and offered to fix dents on some cars parked in the driveway. The man, who called himself “George,” seemed believable, since he had a truck that contained the types of tools used in a body shop. The residents agreed to pay George $300 for the work, which turned out to be phony. (A resin that was supposed to harden later melted instead.) After he departed, the victims discovered $200 worth of CDs missing from one of the vehicles. George had arrived with his wife and child, who stayed in their vehicle: A white, early 2000s pickup with a standard sized bed and no extra cab. George was described as a Hispanic man in his twenties, about 5’6”, thin build, dark hair and small mustache.

*Last Friday night (July 31st), a 29-year-old Alki resident was transported to Harborview after causing a series of crashes on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge, ending with him finally veering across all lanes and slumping over unconscious on the steering wheel. As medics pulled him out for treatment, a small plastic bag fell off his lap that tested positive for powdered methamphetamine. Blood samples were drawn from the suspect at Harborview. He remained unconscious throughout transport. He was left in the custody of the staff at Harborview.

*Last Wednesday afternoon (July 29th), officers spotted a known felon driving a car in the Morgan Junction area. He was taken into custody on an outstanding no-bail warrant for unlawful firearms possession and drug possession. In addition, the man was wanted on a $20,000 4th-degree assault warrant from Pierce County. He was booked into King County Jail.

Six more summaries ahead:

*On July 27th, a man came to the desk at the SW Precinct and wanted to report the loss of his wallet and an envelope containing $4100. He told the officer they had been on the seat of his truck. And that no, as it happens, he didn’t usually lock his truck.

*Friday, after they confronted a group of people smoking drugs on the street in the 6900 block of Delridge, two women were threatened by one of the group — a woman who said she had friends who would “deal with their a-s.”

*An Edgewood resident with a history of mental-health issues and meth use was taken into custody by Pierce County Deputies on the 23rd after he arrived (after a two year absence) at his parents’ West Seattle home, armed with a .45-caliber handgun. While fingering the gun, he threatened his parents, his brothers, and threatened to shoot up the Federal Building downtown. In between the threats, he ranted about conspiracy theories, said his computer had been bugged, and said that he hears voices that tell him to kill himself. He has been known to have 25 firearms (including military assault rifles) at his home, and seven handguns had already been confiscated by the Milton Police Department. The 42-year-old was booked into King County Jail for investigation of threats and domestic violence.

*A 47-year-old was interviewed and transported to Harborview for a mental evaluation on the 31st after she was seen walking in the vicinity of 47th and Othello, throwing rocks (some the size of baseballs) at people and residents, pulling up plants and repeatedly walking into the middle of a major arterial without regard for traffic. Spitting and screaming, she told the officers that she *knew* they were agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Marvel comics superheroes).

*On the afternoon of Friday the 31st — a 90-degree da y– an officer was dispatched to the 6700 block of 25th SW to check on a “woman in crisis.” He found a car stuck in a ditch, with a woman in her fifties and a small dog inside. The woman explained that she was homeless and had been stuck for several days, and that she and her dog had had no water. She stepped out of the car and it was apparent that she had soiled her pants numerous times. She had no cell phone and a dead battery, was sweating, and had a difficult time conversing with the officer. Concerned for her well-being, the officer had her (and the dog) transported to the hospital for evaluation.

*A resident in the 4000 block of California Ave. SW called 911 after spotting a “dark-haired” prowler peering through her window late Saturday (August 1st). The officers who responded saw nothing suspicious but did find two large raccoons hanging out on the woman’s side of the building.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have NOT already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, and many are not crimes, but might at least answer a lingering question such as “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*After hearing about a suspicious phone call that a senior-citizen customer received, a pharmacy employee took the initiative to call 911 to report a potential scam. The customer had been told to wire $850 in order to claim an $840,000 prize. Officers warned the would-be victim how to protect himself against such schemes. A records check showed that the man had been victimized this way in the past.

*Early on the morning of the 12th, a woman awoke to a crashing sound in her apartment in the 6000 block of California Ave. SW: A stranger was climbing in through the window and blinds. After stumbling around the room for a few moments, he took his leave by climbing back out thru the same window. As officers were taking the victim’s statement, the “incredibly intoxicated” suspect returned and explained that he thought this was his house in Tukwila. (He had spent the night drinking at an Alki Beach bar.) He was released pending possible charges and was transported to his home.

Ahead – nine more summaries, including the case of the naked man in the parking strip:

*Friday afternoon, in the 1300 block of SW Spokane, citizens reported that a woman was using a coat hanger to try to jimmy her way into parked cars. She explained that she was hot and looking for shade. An ID check showed that she was wanted on a $1500 criminal trespass warrant in Seattle. She was also carrying a meth pipe and meth. She was booked into King County Jail on the warrant and for investigation of drug charges.

*On Tuesday the 8th, in the 2200 block of SW Henderson, a Seattle Public Utilities employee went to enter his work truck but noticed a man sleeping inside. Officers arrested the man and took him to the precinct for questioning. There were no signs of forced entry to the truck and nothing had been stolen. The man apologized and said he had been looking for a place to sleep because he was feeling ill. After promising not to go back to the city-owned private property, the 56-year-old was released from the precinct.

*That naked man, lying in the parking strip in the 4400 block of 44th on a recent Monday morning? The 29-year-old was a visitor from Spokane and he remembered only that he had been drinking at a Junction restaurant the night before. Retracing his steps, officers were able to find his t-shirt, socks and underwear in the 4200 block of 44th. They transported him to a local bed and breakfast where he had been staying with his mother.

*In the continuing saga of 44th SW…Around 8 a.m. on the 12th, 911 received several calls about an intoxicated male wandering through yards — and defecating — in the 3600 block. The suspect, a 46-year-old downtown resident, was found sitting in an alley, shoeless, practically pantsless, and carrying a bottle of hot sauce. Claiming “diplomatic immunity” (and unable to stand), he was transported to Harborview for a mental evaluation.

*On the 3rd, a man ingested (in his own words) “a bunch of narcotics” — including meth, heroin and crack — painted his face with lipstick and wandered shirtless around his Delridge apartment’s parking lot claiming to be President of the United States. He was transported to Harborview for a mental-health evaluation.

*Around 6:45 on the evening of the 12th, a near-miss between a car and a motorcycle led to a chase and road-rage incident, with the driver of the car accelerating, and seeming to deliberately strike the motorcycle before speeding off. Witnesses near 39th and Willow provided the car’s license-plate number, and officers found the car near 29th and Henderson. The driver denied damaging the motorcycle, but the officers noted that as they approached he was covering some scratches on the vehicle with a paint pen. He was placed into custody, and was found to be carrying a loaded firearm. It was placed into custody for safekeeping.

*In North Delridge, on the 9th, a mother was warned after leaving her children (ages 7, 2 and 1) alone in a vehicle for half an hour — with the key in the ignition — while she ran an errand a half-block away. The officer noted that although the mother seemed overwhelmed,the children appeared to be in good health. She was contrite and realized she had made a bad decision–and that she should have brought the children along. (When the officer arrived at the scene, the citizen who had made the initial 911 call was at the vehicle, keeping the children company and providing them with something to drink.)

*On the 9th, in a Morgan Junction store, a woman described as having known mental-health issues began screaming and acting hostile. When she tried to grab a child from a customer, her mother and aunt, who had accompanied her to the store, called 911. As she was being transported to Harborview for evaluation, she explained that her own children had been taken from her care and that she had grabbed the child in order to get a hug.

*After being detained for shoplifting at Westwood Village on the evening of the 13th, a 13-year-old girl became erratic and violent, threatening to kill herself by bashing her head against a holding cell wall if she were taken to the precinct. While waiting for an ambulance to transport her to Children’s Hospital, she became even more violent, screaming and banging her head against a metal portion of the patrol car and later against the pavement. As several officers spoke with her calmly in an effort to calm her, four others held her down, “careful to not restrict her breathing, and positioned so that her head couldn’t strike the asphalt.” They held her for 20 minutes as she continued to scream, kick, spit, and bite. Even when finally placed into an ambulance, she repeatedly banged her head against the backboard, making medics concerned for her safety. They asked that officers ride alongside her during transport. The teen was involuntarily committed to Children’s for a mental-health evaluation.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Thursday afternoon, a man in a silver Audi drove erratically on Delridge — so oddly that a female driver pulled over to let him pass. Instead, he pulled up behind her, got out of his car with a black handgun, pointed it at her and said, “I’ll blow your head off!” She hit the gas and he kept following, pulling alongside her in the 5400 block of Delridge, yelling and waving the gun. (At times during this incident, the man was described as wearing a skull mask.) When he saw her talking into a phone he suddenly broke off his chase, driving off southbound on Delridge. The license plate allowed officers to identify the driver, whose non-masked description matches the vehicle’s owner–a twenty-year-old Westwood-area resident. He is at large.

*Also on Thursday, a tow truck (with a company logo) showed up in the 5100 block of 47th early Thursday, and one of two men inside jumped out and started a car on the street…not with a key, but with a screwdriver. A citizen saw this and confronted the pair, who claimed to have permission to take the vehicle, which belonged to an elderly gentleman in the neighborhood. Suspicious, she called 911. Officers first called the towing company, and the person who answered the phone denied that the vehicle was on their lot. Officers found differently when they arrived at the business and saw the car in question on a flatbed truck. The two men at the scene told some convoluted stories “that made no sense,” according to the officer’s report. Upon running their names, officers found that one had a felony escape warrant from the Department of Corrections. (He was also carrying a gram of heroin.) This man, a North Admiral resident, was booked for the warrant, and for investigation of vehicle theft and drug possession. The other man, who claimed he had been duped into towing the car by the arrestee, was released at the scene.

Four more summaries ahead:

*Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, a Morgan Junction store manager called police after catching a woman shoplifting. He explained he only wanted her identified and trespassed (banned) from the premises for a year. But a routine records check showed that the West Seattle woman was wanted on over $14,000 worth of warrants from Renton, Burien and Federal Way. She was taken into custody and turned over to Renton Police.

*A man snoozing on private apartment property at the Alaska Junction was cordial when officers woke him and said he couldn’t sleep there. He declined medical help, but did confess that he had an outstanding felony warrant from the Department of Corrections. (He also had 11 aliases.) The West Seattle resident (who actually has an apartment just down the street from where he had laid his head) was booked into King County Jail.

*Late on Friday the 19th, someone described only as “a white male” walked into a church on Roxbury and began yelling. He grabbed two microphone stands and screamed, “I’m going to kill you!” (He did not make reference to any race or religion.) He ran from the hall with the mic stands and grabbed several soft drink cans on the way. Running down Roxbury, he dropped the mic stands in the 700 block and then turned south on 8th Avenue. He remains at large.

*Sunday evening, in the 5200 block of 45th SW, a jingling sound alerted a resident that her dog (trained to ring the bell) needed a potty break outside. When she went to let him out the door, she found a stranger standing in the doorway, bells in hand, and speaking in a language she didn’t understand. She ushered him out the door as he apologized. He didn’t threaten or harm her. He was transported to King County Jail, where he was booked for investigation of criminal trespass.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Citizens reported finding four old laptop computers hidden in some bushes at Alki Beach Park.

*Around noon on the 15th, someone called 911 to report a “man down” at 29th and Trenton. The man was able to mumble his name to officers, which allowed them to run a records check. He was wanted on a no-bail escape warrant from the Department of Corrections and was booked into King County Jail.

*On the evening of the 12th, while walking her dog in Hiawatha Playfield, a woman saw a large group of teenagers, with one making a small fire in the grass with some papers. She yelled, and they all ran. The Fire Department doused the area with water. The teens might like to know that one of the papers that didn’t burn — which appeared to be a report card — clearly displayed someone’s name.

Three more summaries ahead:

*Early on the 17th, three men approached a fourth in the 2100 block of Harbor Ave. SW and asked if he had any marijuana. When the victim reached into his car to get some, the men began punching him–until they saw that he had reached for a baseball bat. The suspects were described only as “Hispanic or Native American,” aged 18 to 21, two wearing all dark clothing, one in a white T-shirt and dark pants.

About ten minutes later, three men (matching the above description) approached a fourth near the Alki Bathhouse and asked if he had marijuana. This man said, “no,” but was attacked just the same. (His wallet is also missing.) He was transported to Harborview for treatment of facial, knee, and elbow injuries.

A report in precinct files has more details on what preceded and followed an incident we covered as breaking news on June 12th:

*“Mmmm. It smells good in here.” So said two youngsters whose mom was loading them into the car on the morning of the 12th. Mom then caught a whiff of unfamiliar cologne and realized the car (parked in the 1600 block of SW Sunset) had been ransacked.. Two women jogging by pointed to a young man on the street and said he had been in the car. Mom called 911 and began following and yelling at the suspect (until she was told to stop by a dispatcher). Two men working nearby took up the pursuit and brought the suspect to the ground. (One of the samaritans ended up with a severe bite mark on his face, courtesy of the suspect.) When officers arrived, they searched the suspect and found three watches, a wallet with credit cards, $632, and a burlap sack and pockets full of coins. The 16-year-old West Seattle resident (who was also wanted on two warrants) was booked into the Youth Service Center for investigation of assault.

*On the evening of the 16th, callers reported a man “in crisis” walking in the roadway at SW Spokane and Chelan Ave. SW. Officers found the man sitting on a nearby bench, talking to himself and holding a basket of flowers. He explained that he was “following the lines in the crosswalk to get to Angelina Jolie.” When he refused any help (and accused them of harassment), the officers made sure he was safe before continuing on patrol.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Sunday afternoon, bicycle officers were patrolling in the 3400 block of Beach Drive SW in response to citizen complaints about narcotics and narcotics dealing during summer months. As they approached an Audi they saw a man leaning into the driver’s window, exchanging cash with the driver for a small plastic bag. Coming alongside, they saw the passenger trying to hide more plastic bags under the seat, and spotted a wad of bills (totaling $1738) on the driver’s lap. Both individuals were taken into custody for Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (VUCSA) with intent to deliver and manufacture. The small bags tested positive for cocaine and were packaged as evidence. In accordance with law, the money and the cellphones of both men were seized due to their likely association with drug sales. The driver was dismayed to learn that his vehicle (“But I have only one more payment!”) would be seized as well.

*(Editor’s note: This was one of the Alki-area street-robbery reports we had been trying to find out more about:) Late Saturday, friends were socializing in Whale Tail Park (5800 block of SW Lander) when a group of seven or eight males approached. One grabbed a gold chain from around the neck of the victim, who responded with profanities. At this, the robber pulled a semi automatic pistol from his waistband, shoved it into the victim’s torso and then demanded his belt (an expensive one…it is unclear how the robber knew about the belt, which was hidden under the victim’s shirt). The robber and his friends walked off southbound. Only description of the group members: A mix of Samoan and Black males in their late teens or early twenties. One wore a bright red cap. The primary suspect was described as a Samoan male. The victims, who all live in West Seattle, said they did not know any of them.

*Thursday, in the 4400 block of Delridge Way, a Kent resident was arrested for investigation of car prowling after he climbed into a car while a woman was loading it with items. She was “spooked” by his behavior and went back into a building for assistance. He took the opportunity to help himself to her belongings, including a laptop computer. Officers caught him trying to leave the scene and were able to return all items to the victim.

*On Monday, officers responded to a reported assault at California and Juneau. The victim, who was being treated for a painful thumb laceration, reported that his unstable “friend” had shown up asked for cab fare, and then bit him on the thumb.

*The parent of a local high-school student was arrested on Monday after she reportedly harassed and threatened the principal, claiming that a bomb was in the building. No bomb was found.

*An Arbor Heights resident came to the precinct to complain about his “biased” mail carrier. “He has an aggressive walking fashion,” he explained to the desk officer. “And when I asked him ‘What’s your problem?’ he said, ‘I walk like this because I’m a Marine.” The officer didn’t feel that such a stride constituted a bias problem, but suggested that the complainant, if still concerned, should take up the issue with Post Office officials.

*A “vulnerable” Delridge man was advised by both his caseworker and by officers to stop funding a bank account for (and to have no more contact with) a woman he had met online. According to the fellow, he was making the deposits voluntarily so that the woman could withdraw money and come and visit him.

Police handle more crises than crimes much of the time, and these are two examples:

*On Friday the 12th (today), an officer arrived at a California Ave. coffee shop to investigate the manager’s concerns about a regular customer’s disruptive and erratic behavior. The subject answered the officer’s questions calmly, but he also interjected delusional statements such as, “We don’t have much time ….the planet is losing water,” and at times appeared confused. After hearing about a violent incident had occurred the previous day with another customer, the officer decided that evaluation needed to be made. A Mobile Crisis Team concluded the man was at risk of endangering himself or others. The 58-year-old West Seattle resident was transported to Harborview for a mental evaluation.

*Noticing that his 14-year-old son seemed in a down mood, dad tried to engage him in conversation. Son suddenly grabbed a hunting knife and made a stabbing motion toward his own neck. Dad tackled the boy and was able to pin him down until police arrived. He was returned to Children’s Hospital, where he had recently completed a two-week mental evaluation.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Responding to requests for additional patrol and for help with known shoplifters, officers arrived at an Admiral business on Monday the 30th. They immediately spotted one of three young men specifically named to be banned from the premises. In addition, officers knew that the 16-year-old was wanted on a felony warrant for 3rd-degree assault. They asked him to put his hands behind his back, but the young man denied his identity, struggled, and had to be placed on the ground in order to be handcuffed. Both this young man and another 17-year-old were banned from the store and acknowledged that if they return they’d be arrested for criminal trespassing. The 16 year old was booked into the Youth Service Center for the warrant and for investigation of resisting arrest.

*Around 1 p.m. on the 30th, in the 7500 block of 30th SW, a woman reported that a man was hiding behind her neighbor’s garbage cans and masturbating. He fled before officers arrived.

*On the 26th, around 1 a.m., a Renton man was robbed at gunpoint at the Don Armeni boatramp by a stranger who asked for a cigarette. The suspect also demanded the keys to the victim’s car, a 2002 BMW 330I. The robber was described as a dark-skinned Asian male, about 5’7” 190 pounds, with a goatee. He wore a black beanie cap, black hooded sweatshirt and black pants.

*Early on the morning of the 28th, a citizen found a purse hanging on a fence in the 5100 block of SW Edmunds. Inside the purse, narcotics paraphernalia: Pieces of tin foil smeared with a black substance, and a small plastic bag of black tar heroin.

*An apartment in the 6900 block of Delridge Way SW has become known as a haven for partiers, with doors and windows open at all times for visitors. The tenant has been warned about the visits being a violation of her rental agreement. A citizen called 911 on the 25th, after a man who was no longer welcome climbed through the back window and caused a disturbance. Officers noted that the inside of the apartment has been destroyed and that the woman’s young daughter has been going door to door throughout the complex, stating that she is hungry and asking for food. Child Protective Services has been alerted.

*Around noon on the 28th, officers arrived at a chronic nuisance home in the 7700 block of 20th SW after citizens reported that a woman was chasing a man with a knife (which turned out to be a fencing sword). The man was gone when officers arrived, but his girlfriend said he woke up in a bad mood and broke a fish tank. He initially refused to leave but ran off when she picked up the sword. The interior of the home was “complete disarray,” with dirty dishes and molded food. In the basement, officers found a mattress on the floor next to a large puddle of vomit. While searching the premises to be sure the boyfriend wasn’t there, officers found three men living in a tent in the detached backyard garage, surrounded by boxes of needles, discarded used needles plus small baggies commonly used for drug sales. One of the men has an extensive criminal history with the Seattle Police Department, mostly related to illegal narcotics. Officers said conditions were not suitable for the woman’s eleven-year-old son. She cried and said she’d take son to her moms until she cleaned and until the power was restored. (It had been shut off the day before.). She was told that if officers returned and found the home in the same condition, her son would be given to Child Protective Services (which was notified about the Saturday incident). The SW Precinct Community Police Team has been alerted to the ongoing issues at this residence.

*After their 71-year-old patient called, cancelled his appointments, and said he “wanted to die,” a clinic nurse contacted police to do a welfare check on the man. Officers arrived at the Westwood-area home on the afternoon of the 27th and found him in a back bedroom with garbage piled all around, a plastic container holding urine, and the ceiling above the bed starting to collapse. The rest of the house was cluttered with dirty dishes and mold. The man was transported to the hospital for a mental evaluation.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Early on the morning of the 17th, a man heard a bang outside his home in the 2700 block of 46th SW. He contacted three males who were standing around his car. (The car door was open.) The three walked away and the victim followed them to a grocery on California Avenue. Officers found the three hiding in the rooftop parking lot. One, a 15-year-old who lives in another part of Seattle, was booked into the Youth Service Center for investigation of vehicle prowling. A second, a 12-year old who does live in West Seattle, was a missing person, and already had two juvenile warrants; one for burglary and one for theft. He was booked for these warrants and for investigation of vehicle prowling. The third, a 14-year-old from downtown, was also a missing person with two juvenile warrants – one for burglary, one for possession of a stolen vehicle. He was booked for the warrants and for investigation of vehicle prowling.

*On the morning of the 20th, a 14-year-old Kent resident with a history of disruptive and intimidating behavior was arrested and booked into the Youth Service Center after striking and threatening to “cut” an Admiral-area store employee who had told him to leave the premises.

Five more summaries ahead:

*An assault incident started when a citizen was bitten on the arm by a dog, described in the report as a German Shepherd, at the Alaska Junction on the afternoon of the 20th. The dog (and three others) were leashed and being walked by a man who appeared to be in his late twenties. When told of the bite, the man said he would put the dogs in his car and return to talk to the victim. He became angry that the victim was following on foot, so he turned and head-butted the victim in the nose before fleeing northbound on California Avenue. The man was described as white, with dark, short hair, unshaven, about 6 feet tall, thin, wearing a red knit cap, a dark bomber-style jacket and tight gray jeans.

*Around 10 a.m. on the 15th, officers contacted a naked woman who was wandering around the railroad tracks in the 1100 block of SW Klickitat Way. She had no ID and spoke only in fragmented “cuss words” to medics who responded to the scene. A “Jane Doe,” she was transported to Harborview for a mental evaluation.

*On the 16th, a man with an existing $250,000 warrant for domestic-violence assault added another notch to his record when he showed up at his estranged wife’s Alki-area home, in violation of a protection order. He was booked into King County Jail.

*Seeing that her ex was intoxicated, a North Admiral woman took his car keys for safekeeping on the evening of the 14th. The next day he accused her of stealing his cellphone and wallet as well. He claimed that he was a member of the Aryan Nations, used his hand against her head (in the shape of a gun) and threatened to blow her head off and said he’d have his son kill her son. He was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of DV harassment/threats.

*On the 17th, a Delridge resident called 911 to report her husband had been using cocaine for several days and was having a mental-health crisis. He had made her and the children leave the home because “it was going to blow up.” Meanwhile, he was calling 911 himself from their driveway, claiming that he was being chased by the Mexican Mafia. Officers found him sitting in the family car with a loaded gun on his lap. He was taken to the precinct for later transport to Harborview for a mental exam. While in the holding cell, he kicked the door repeatedly and screamed for help.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*”Hey…..Hey!” was how one officer got the attention of a man he spotted relieving himself on the door of an Alaska Junction business. As the officer was writing a ticket, the owner of a nearby bar approached and complained that the suspect had a habit of leaving his liquid calling card at her business too, not to mention around the vehicles in the alley and parking lot. The officer said she could ban him from the bar property but had to tell him herself. When she did so, the man swore, called her a name, and offered up assorted other intimidating profanities. He ended up with the ticket in addition to the trespass notice.

*A man with a history of shoplifting at a Westwood Village store was asked to leave the premises around 7:30 a.m. on the 24th. In response, he aggressively threatened to physically assault one employee and then spat at her before leaving. Officers found him on a bus at Delridge and 21st. where he admitted his guilt. He was arrested for investigation of assault and harassment and booked into King County Jail.

*A man acting suspiciously around some cars near 37th and Kenyon admitted to officers that he didn’t live in the area, but that he was just walking home to Burien. It being 2 a.m., they recommended that he “stick to the main roads that are well lit…and stay out of the street.” On a hunch, the patrolling pair decided to circle the block before driving away. On this go-round, on the ground near where they had originally spotted the man, they found a pair of large bolt cutters, vise grips, lineman pliers, and a flathead screwdriver … all commonly used in break-ins. Officers put the tools in the cruiser’s trunk. Just then, they saw the suspect returning to the area–that is, until he spotted the officers, whereupon he ran down a driveway and dove under some bushes. He admitted that he was under Department of Corrections supervision but denied owning the tools. A records check showed that he currently had charges “suspended in the third degree,” so officers took the 42-year-old to a bus stop to catch a ride.

11 more summaries ahead:

*Around 10 p.m. on the 26th, two masked men — one armed with a semi-automatic pistol — broke into a medical marijuana dispensary in the 9400 block of Delridge SW. The clerk was able to fight them off. Both suspects were described as black, between 22 and 29 years old. One, more stocky (and holding the gun) was right-handed and wore denim pants, a black hoodie and a black and gray mask. The other, of medium build, wore all black, with dark blue and white athletic shoes. He wore loose-fitting white cloth gloves and a plastic “V for Vendetta” mask.

*On the 31st, a resident of the 7300 block of 31st SW called 911 with two concerns: 1) An elderly neighbor’s front door was open and 2) No one had seen him for several days. Inside, officers found the man’s body slumped over next to the bathtub. The medical examiner’s staff estimated he had been dead for 48 hours.

*Police are investigating the reported rape of a teenager, brought to their attention when she passed out after an afternoon of anxiety attacks. As she was placed on the gurney for transport to Harborview, she “blurted out” to the medic that she had been raped earlier in the day by a man she knew — who is six years her senior.

*At 11:30 a.m. on the 30th, a 28-year-old Lynnwood resident showed up at his aunt’s house in the 4300 block of SW Andover and tried to force his way inside. For a long time he has been convinced that his aunt is spying on him and accused her of planting hidden cameras — not only in his car but in the house across the street where he used to live. Officers told him to stay away from her home and recommended that the aunt get a protection order. The nephew has a history of meth use and mental health issues.

*On the 27th, 911 operators took several calls about a man “wearing a yellow skirt and swinging a machete” at the park at 18th and SW Barton. One officer recognized the suspect (who had put down the weapon by the time officers arrived) as a 29-year-old homeless man with a history of mental issues and meth use. On this day he said he’d been hired to trim the park bushes but was having difficulties, because in spite of all of his work, the branches kept “magically growing back.” He also explained that his helmet was a gift from the military and that it contained communication devices that helped him coordinate helpful safety events with the “skinheads.” Medics transported him to Harborview for a mental evaluation; officers transported his two-foot long machete (with an 18-inch sharpened blade) to the evidence room.

*On the 26th, in the 9400 block of Olson, an intoxicated man wanted to drive; his wife refused to give him the keys. An argument resulted, as did a 911 call by their frightened seven-year-old daughter.The parents assured responding officers that there would be no more problems that evening.

*A dog owner told police she has received harassing emails and voicemails from a person bitten by her dog, a case investigated by Seattle Animal Shelter with a determination of no wrongdoing. On the afternoon of the 30th, the dog owner called 911 to complain that the person bitten by her dog had been parked in front of the caller’s home for ten minutes and was taking pictures of the residence. Officers advised the owner to call 911 again if she felt her safety was threatened.

*After getting to know each other at twelve-step-group meetings, a man and woman went on a first date. Around 6 p.m. on the 25th, he parked at Westwood Village so that she could use the bathroom at one of the stores. When she returned to the car, her date was unconscious, nodding off next to a used syringe. Recognizing the signs of a heroin overdose, the woman first called 911 for assistance. Then she called her mother for a ride home. Medics transported the man to Harborview for treatment.

*On the 28th, in the 600 block of SW Kenyon: When her male friend failed to call her (claiming he had lost his phone), a woman went out to his car to search for it. Instead of finding the phone, she found a pair of women’s gloves with fur accents. She stormed into the house –demanded to know why he had “stripper gloves” — and then proceeded to smash all the dishes. She was booked into King County Jail for investigation of domestic violence property destruction.

*The owner of an adult-care home called for assistance with a paraplegic, wheelchair-using resident who refused to allow treatment or get help for severe bedsores which had turned black and were nearly gangrenous. Determining that the woman was gravely disabled, the officer filled out the paperwork allowing her to be transported — for her own well being — to Harborview for evaluation and treatment.

*Another citizen was transported to Harborview involuntarily after he suffered a mental-health crisis, stripped off his clothes and stood catatonic on the side of the road at Sylvan Way and SW Holly on the afternoon of the 25th.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*A Fauntleroy resident went out to his planting strip to harvest his organic pear crop and was dismayed to discover that all of the ripe fruit had been taken. He estimates that at least 50 pounds of fruit — worth $200 — was missing. A nearby citizen said she saw a man and woman in a white van picking the fruit. The van is registered to a Georgetown address.

Three more summaries ahead, including the case that began with a naked man and a tree:

*Around 6:30 pm on the 26th, officers were dispatched to the 2500 block of 56th SW where a naked man was doing pullups from a tree branch. He didn’t appreciate being placed in the rear of the patrol car, where he spent his time mumbling and spitting. The 17-year-old from Kent was eventually restrained (and fitted with a “spit sock”), placed on a gurney, and transported to Harborview for treatment.

*On Harbor Avenue on the evening of the 21st, a rollerblader claimed that a driver speedily exiting a restaurant parking caused a collision. He said the driver entered the skating lane so unexpectedly and abruptly that he (the fast skater) was unable to stop in time and slammed into the car. When medics arrived, they found him on the ground. On the other hand, the police report says, the driver, two passing witnesses (who knew neither the driver or skater), and the restaurant video told a different (and consistent) story: The driver *had* pulled out and was waiting for passing traffic to clear before entering the street. The skater (“moving slower than I walk” said one witness) chose to pass in front of the car (rather than going behind), tapped/grasped the hood the entire time. As he reached the driver’s side he lowered himself “gracefully” to the ground, claiming injury, and pulled out a cellphone. They also say he was lucid and talking … until medics arrived and transported him to Harborview. Officers interviewed him there and warned him that his version was at odds with those of the witnesses. They even mentioned that security footage likely recorded the scene. They asked if he wanted to amend his version of events. He did not, and is facing investigation of false reporting.

*Around 6:15 pm on the 21st, medics were sent to the 1900 block of 42nd SW where they revived a man in a parked car who had overdosed on heroin. He was transported to Harborview. Meanwhile, his female friend who called for assistance was taken into custody for an outstanding felony warrant and for a variety of needles, methamphetamine, and fake IDs in her possession.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*In the 1500 block of SW Cambridge, a driver pulled over for talking on her cell phone was unable to provide the officer with her license or proof of insurance. What she *did* have were five felony warrants (totaling $65,000): Three for DUI and two for driving with a suspended license. She was booked into King County Jail.

*On Monday the 28th, the manager of an Alki coffee shop called 911 after checking the welfare of a patron who had been in the bathroom a long time. She opened the door, saw him with a belt around his arm and suspected he was injecting drugs. Officers arrived and questioned the man who, the previous day, had fallen asleep in the same bathroom. At the request of the manager, he was trespassed from the business. When a records check showed that he was wanted on a felony warrant by the King County Sheriff’s Office for residential burglary and trafficking stolen property ($50,075), he was booked into the King County Jail.

*On the 23rd, someone got into the foyer of an apartment in the 1700 block of Alki Ave. SW and stole a package that had been delivered. (The addressee found the empty box at the rear of the building.) Inside: A $2,000 gaming computer.

*Wanting to sell a coin collection, a citizen got a ride to a Junction store from “a friend of a friend.” He stepped from the car, and as he turned back to reach for the items, the driver punched the accelerator and took off. Officers later discovered that the driver needed money to bail out on a $20,000 felony warrant from King County. A records check later in the day showed that the warrant had been “cleared.” Bottom line: The driver had used the proceeds from a new felony to pay off a previous felony.

*On the 25th, just after midnight, officers arrived at the scene of a reported robbery at 26th and Barton. The victim had been attacked by four men and then dragged into the bushes, police were told. The attackers then removed the victim’s clothing and fled. They were described as black males, one in red shorts, a white T shirt, and long black hair down to his shorts. A second wore jeans, a black shirt, and a baseball cap. The third wore a white fisherman’s cap and a white shirt. The victim was transported to Highline Hospital for treatment.

*Same place, on the 27th, another man waiting for a bus was attacked by two juveniles who ended up being booked into the Youth Service Center. One of them was carrying a half gallon bottle of rum, which was returned to a nearby drugstore.

*On the 27th, at 29th and Barton, what was first called in as “a man with an ax” turned out to be a man who pulled a work hammer from his backpack when he felt threatened by juveniles who made fun of him for being drunk. The kids who were still at the scene told officers that the man never chased or tried to hit them. The man was released.

*On the 26th, a stranger (who turned out to be a Queen Anne resident) stumbled into a yard sale in the 7700 block of 12th SW carrying a half-gallon of alcohol. He offered drinks all around before the homeowner told him to leave. The next thing she knew, the stranger was inside her house. The man fled when told police had been called. He was booked into KCJ for investigation of non-forced residential burglary.

*The drivers/owners of two cars stolen on the 28th (one from Lincoln Park; another from Beach Drive) unintentionally provided extra help to the thieves: In both cases, the police reports say, there was an extra car key inside the vehicle.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*On the afternoon of the 20th, firefighters asked for a “fast backup” from officers as they dealt with a patient in the 7500 block of 32nd SW. Officers found the 38-year-old lying on his back, yelling and growling, with “about half a dozen medics and officers holding him down.” The man had fought with firefighters and injured one by grabbing and crushing his upper arm, breaking the skin in three places. The suspect, who has a history of drug-induced “excited delirium” incidents, was transported to Harborview. Officers are recommending that the suspect be charged with assault.

*On the 18th, in the 2800 block of 36th SW, a man took up residence inside a small cabinet discarded {“Free!”) on a corner. He provided incoherent answers to officers’ questions, and they felt it was best he be taken to Harborview for a mental evaluation–plus, they were concerned he might die (from “positional asphyxiation”) if he accidentally fell asleep inside the cramped quarters.

*On the 16th, Arbor Heights residents asked that officers check on the wellbeing of an elderly neighbor whom they had not seen for about a week. Officers noticed a full mailbox and papers on the porch. Getting no response to knocks, they decided to make a forced entry. They found the 77-year-old woman in the bathtub — alive — but gasping and unable to speak. It appeared she had been stuck for several days. She was transported to Harborview for care.

Ahead, eight more summaries, starting with two cases of predatory behavior:

*While in a business in the 1600 block of SW Holden, a woman noticed that an older man had his arm around her 6-year-old daughter, who was standing just behind her but near the door. The man also seemed to be whispering in her ear. The mom jokingly said, “Excuse me, you can’t take her,” but the man ignored her. When she forcibly removed his arm from the girl, he said, “They’re best at that age.” He left the store and climbed into a dark blue, newer hatchback wagon. He was a white man in his 70s, between 5′ and 5’5″, with a medium build. He wore a white shirt with thin back stripes, possibly plaid. He remains at large.

*On the afternoon of the 20th, a 20-year-old woman was walking in an alley behind the 6300 block of 35th SW when she sensed she was being followed. A man was approaching quickly, chiding her loudly for not “watching her surroundings” and then saying, among other things, that “Girls like you get stalked like prey and killed.” The woman looked around and saw an elderly male nearby, stopped in a vehicle, who seemed to be watching out for her. The suspect also saw the man and walked away quickly. (The man in the car gave her a “thumbs up” and then drove off.) The suspect (and another man) drove off southbound on 34th SW in a blue 1990s van with tinted windows. The suspects are both black males. One was 30-49 years old, the other 22-29. The older man was about 6 feet tall, with slim build and dark complexion. He had a scar below one eye and white residue on his nostrils. One wore a red sweat suit. They remain at large.

*On the evening of the 20th, a citizen reported a disturbance with a man forcing his way into a home in the 5200 block of 19th SW. He tried to get away as police arrived but decided to give up when he realized he was literally running into a dead end. The argument had been about the man’s drinking; his wife would like to see him get treatment. Meanwhile, the husband (who has an extensive criminal history and is a convicted felon), was wanted on a $10,000 warrant for unlawful use of weapons. He was booked into King County Jail.

*On the 17th, a 58-year-old Alki-area man walked into his a neighbor’s backyard and began drilling into the ground using a cordless drill. The officer noted that the man could sit still for fewer than ten seconds at a time, provided multiple answers for each question, admitted he hadn’t slept in several days and couldn’t remember when he had last eaten. He was taken to Harborview for a mental evaluation. A second man made the same trip on the 19th after he threatened to harm himself while being evicted. When the King County Officer showed up to serve the papers, the man pulled a dagger from a sheath, which is when the officer called for backup from Seattle police.

*Early Sunday, two strangers in a truck got peeved at a young man who was in front of them, driving north on I 5. They followed him onto the West Seattle Bridge, then pulled in front, preventing him from passing. They eventually came to a stop in the middle of the bridge; the young man drove around them. Again they followed, all the way to 35th and Charleston, where they jumped out of their truck, tried to open the young man’s (locked) car door, and challenged him to fight. The young man simply drove away and, after following for a few blocks, the strangers gave up the chase.

*On the 21st, a 20-year-old driver from Kent blatantly ignored a bicycle officer’s order to pull over at Alki (for cruising and for excessive noise) and accelerated rapidly, trying to flee down side streets that were crowded with both people and cars. With pedestrians yelling at him to slow down, he was finally hemmed in by other drivers, arrested, and booked into King County Jail for investigation of reckless driving and failure to stop for an officer.

*An officer was suspicious about a man and woman he saw walking at Alki at 4:30 a.m. on the 22nd. Their odd clothing, facial sores, haggard appearance and thin build were hallmarks of meth or heroin users. A short time later he encountered them again and decided to ask some questions. The man disappeared before backing officers arrived, but the woman turned out to be a missing person from Bellingham. A pat-down for weapons revealed a syringe and multiple plastic bindles in her pocket. In other clothing and her backpack, officers found multiple used and unused syringes and close to 100 empty plastic bindles that had likely contained heroin. Because the officer knew she’d be turned away from King County Jail (for the infected sores covering her arms and upper torso), he took her to the SW Precinct for a long talk. He suggested she return to Bellingham and get some medical assistance for her addictions. He returned her belongings and released her from the precinct. Bellingham PD was notified to take her off the missing list.

*On the 22nd, a 17-year-old girl was arrested after shoplifting and threatening a security guard at a Westwood Village store with a knife. Inside her handbag? Two kitchen knives and an open bottle of Jack Daniels.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled in recent weeks by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*On the afternoon of Wednesday the 16th, a car with heavily tinted windows drove past an officer on patrol at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. A routine records check of the license plate showed that the 27-year-old owner was wanted on a misdemeanor warrant for car prowling. A check of the owner’s name brought up a no-bail felony warrant, extraditable throughout the United States, for unlawful firearms possession in the second degree. The officer was able to take the suspect — described in the warrants as a violent gang member — into custody without incident.

*In the Admiral area on the 14th, an officer recognized a man who was violating a protection order by walking near a girlfriend’s residence The suspect was also wanted for failing to register as a sex offender. When arrested he was carrying an illegal switchblade knife and a bag of crystal meth. He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of all four violations.

*A woman paid a visit to her ex-boyfriend’s place of employment and argued with him in the parking lot. After he went inside, she rammed his car with hers six or eight times, yelling all the while, before driving off. The woman has been trespassed from the property.

This roundup covers a longer timespan than usual, and includes 13 more summaries ahead:

*A Westwood-area business hired a new employee and then fired him after a few days. The man was later arrested for allegedly burglarizing the place. A simple criminal background check might have saved the business this trouble. It would have disclosed that the short-term employee was wanted in New Mexico on a probation violation and for pimping and sexual exploitation of children.

*On 12th Avenue South, a tenant in a rental asked a yardworker why he was cutting branches from trees on her lawn. He waved her off, saying, “Don’t worry…I’ve already talked to your husband.” When she told him to leave he raised the chainsaw toward her and made a “swiping” motion. She ran inside and called 911. He then stumbled to his vehicle (she thought he might be intoxicated) yelling and threatening to come back that night and “F*#^ you up.” It turns out the neighbor had hired the worker and claimed she had cleared the work with the victim’s landlord…which she had not. The officer made a call to the yard company and is awaiting a response.

*Also in South Park, on the afternoon of the 16th, an alert citizen called 911 to report that a Level 3 sex offender was standing in front of the library, trying to talk to children. (A records check showed that particular offender was wanted on a felony warrant for failing to register his status.) Officers arrived and spoke with the man, who claimed to have no ID. He gave permission for a backpack search and told officers it contained nothing sharp. Inside? Two knives, one 7.25 inches long and another 4 inches long. This led officers to do a body search. Again, the suspect denied carrying anything sharp. Inside his jacket pocket (and easily accessible)? Two knives, one 3 inches long and one 4 inches long. He (along with his 17 aliases) was booked into King County Jail.

*Also on the 16th, a woman visited Westwood Village, stopping at the bank to withdraw $600 and then heading to buy groceries. In the bread aisle she stopped to assist an older couple who were having trouble finding a particular type of hamburger bun. When she arrived at the checkout, she realized that her wallet was missing. She also realized that the male half of the couple she had helped had not only stood by her cart (and purse), but had suddenly said, “OK, let’s go” to his companion. The suspects are black, aged 50-64 and of medium build. The man wore all beige clothes and the woman wore all black clothes and had lots of freckles on her face. They remain at large.

*Claiming he had been attacked near 35th and Morgan, a 18-year-old High Point resident visited an emergency room and got stitches for knife wounds on his neck and ear. The nurse was required to contact police (though he asked her not to). The officer noted that the victim’s clothes were clean and showed no signs of an altercation. It also turned out that the victim had been carrying a cellphone but, oddly, had not called 911 to report the incident. The victim quickly became hostile, calling the officer names and at one point turning to his mother (also in the room) telling her to “shut up.” The officer’s offer of a ride home was “rudely declined.”

*The April 11th effort to catch and transport four juvenile burglary suspects in Highland Park required the resources of at least 13 Seattle officers and the crew of King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter.

*Because of a middle-school student’s detailed suicide plan, officers had her transported (accompanied by her school counselor) to Children’s Hospital for involuntary observation. Two weeks earlier the child had been admitted to Children’s after drinking bleach.

*On the afternoon of the 12th, officers were called to a Alaska Junction medical clinic after a despondent woman awaiting transport to the hospital tried slashing her wrists with a broken tongue depressor.

*At least eight mental health crises–several involving suicide attempts–were handled in one recent week.

===================
Plus several gathered earlier but not yet published:
===================
*A nearly naked John Doe was hanging out in an alley near California and Walker around 6:30 a.m. on the 3rd. He was taken to Harborview for a mental evaluation.

*Saying he was hungry and wouldn’t do it again, a Morgan Junction man was caught shoplifting $65 worth of beer and groceries from a market near his home. His plea for understanding rang hollow when an ID check disclosed that he was wanted on two warrants for theft totalling $10,500. He was booked into King County Jail.

*A SeaTac resident who claimed to be afraid of the dark was booked into King County Jail after stealing a flashlight from an Alaska Junction hardware store. It turns out that she, too was wanted — on a $1,000 domestic violence assault warrant.

*A 38-year-old Burien resident caused a disturbance at a Westwood Village store on the evening of the 8th. He was told to contact customer service and leave. He did not. First calm, then angry and yelling, he threatened to slap and then kill an officer. Told he was free to go, he left and then returned, three times altogether. He activated his cellphone camera, obtained the officer’s name and badge number and demanded a business card with the same. He again threatened to slap the officer and this time kill himself. Given the cirumstances, the officer felt that the man warranted a mental health evaluation. The subject refused to respond to verbal commands, and it took four officers to take him to the ground to be handcuffed. He claimed he needed water, pretended to pass out, and at the hospital he tried to bite a security officer on the arm.

*Also at Westwood Village, on the afternoon of Wednesday the 2nd, three officers were hurt while arresting a 17-year-old juvenile wanted on a no-bail felony warrant. The suspect resisted arrest, hit one officer in the face and at one point during the struggle he managed to get his hand inside one officer’s holster. In addition to the original felony theft warrant, the suspect now faces investigation of nonaggravated assault against officers.

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This

This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Intruder #1: Responding to reports of a man staggering and weaving near Palm SW and Edgewood SW (map), an officer saw a suspect inside a fenced yard. The officer parked the car but the suspect had disappeared. Because the gate was locked, the officer climbed the fence and noticed the front door was partially open. He announced himself at the door and informed the resident of what was going on. The homeowner opened — and then quickly closed — a powder-room door and said, “He’s in there.” The man, a 28-year-old Des Moines resident, was handcuffed. No other suspects were discovered. He was booked into king County Jail for investigation of burglary.

*Intruder #2: After knocking loudly, a glassy-eyed man opened a screen door and tried to enter a residence in the 2300 block of Alki Avenue. The female resident slammed the door and called 911. When officers arrived she saw that he was lying on the ground in front of a nearby residence. He gave officers a false name, couldn’t remember where he was or how he had gotten there. He was incoherent and repeatedly referenced “Navy Seal Team Six” but told officers he was not on any medication. An ID check on a credit card and with the man’s birthdate identified him as a bi-polar man from a previous incident who had been off his meds and was sent to Harborview for suicidal behavior. A neighbor had seen the man try to gain entrance to an apartment laundry room and then try to start a grill with his lighter. The suspect was transported for a mental-health evaluation.

7 more summaries ahead, including a followup to last week’s High Point helicopter-and-ground search, and a 4-year-old left alone:

*(This is a followup to a story covered here the night it happened:) Last Thursday night, members of the Anti-Crime Team served a narcotics search warrant on a home in the 3200 block of SW Juneau.

(March 20th photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Six people were detained during the search and later released. Two — one who lived at the home and one from Burien — were arrested, the first as directed in the warrant and for an outstanding Department of Corrections warrant for escape. The Burien man tried to run but was captured and turned over to the King County Sheriff’s Office on a robbery case. Evidence seized during the warrant : 1.6 grams of heroin and a shotgun, plus several large freezer bags with heroin residue and false IDs. The Burien suspect’s backpack contained 9.7 grams of heroin and .8 grams of methamphetamine. At a secondary scene, in the 7500 block of 35th SW, officers found more freezer bags with heroin residue and several prescription pads.

*Magazine sales crews are in the area, and on the afternoon of the 26th, a resident who declined to buy a subscription was spit on by an argumentative “saleswoman.” While officers were hearing her story, another neighbor in the 3700 block of 41st came by to report that the woman had argued with him as well.

*Around 4 p.m. on the 26th, a woman called 911 to report that a man brandishing a butcher knife had come out of the bushes while she had been walking her dog in the middle of Schmitz Park. A search for the man was unsuccessful.

*On the 20th, a citizen found a knife with a bloody handle lying on the ground in the 3600 block of 23rd SW. An officer placed the item into the evidence unit.

*A mom told her four-year-old that she was heading for the grocery store and that the girl should go stay at a friend’s house. Citizens called 911 when they found the girl wandering outside of her Morgan Junction apartment building. (The officer’s report says, “She had already packed her pink princess luggage full of clothes and was ready to leave.”) A check of stores, hospitals and jails failed to turn up mom. Officers brought the little girl to the Southwest Precinct until she could be turned over to Child Protective Services. While waiting, she said she had eaten nothing all day except a piece of apple pie and ice cream. Officers were able to give her a snack to tide her over to her next good meal.

*Monday afternoon, a 38-year-old veteran called a crisis line to say he wanted to commit suicide. The crisis line called 911. A search for the man was unsuccessful, but an officer with negotiator training was able to contact the victim on his cellphone. The victim agreed to meet officers at a local market. He repeated his desire to die, saying, “Just take your gun out and shoot me,” and admitted that he suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Officers had him transferred to the hospital for a mental evaluation. At the victim’s request, the negotiator rode with him to the hospital.

*Several West Seattle residents who worked or volunteered for the Archdiocese of Seattle have reported ID theft and the filing of fraudulent tax returns. (It’s part of a regional investigation; the Archdiocese has informational resources online here.)

==============
EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = call or text 206-293-6302.

Share This