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Three to hospital as suspected DUI driver involved in ‘high speed’ Broadway crash — UPDATE

A suspected DUI driver who reportedly wrestled her car keys back from concerned witnesses after colliding with a pole and a tree was involved in a second multiple car crash just minutes later on Broadway that seriously injured three people early Sunday morning just after 2 AM. UPDATE: CHS has obtained the initial SPD report on the incident that includes details of the female DUI suspect taking her keys from an arriving officer and speeding out of a parking garage before colliding with an SUV at Broadway and James. The details from the report are below.

According to SPD and Seattle Fire reports and radio broadcasts, a female driver involved in a “high speed” collision at Broadway and James was found unconscious and had to be extricated from her smashed-up vehicle. The driver and two other people involved in the crash were taken to the hospital. Two of the victims reportedly suffered life threatening injuries. We do not know the conditions of those involved at this time.

UPDATE 10/27/14 9:30 AM: We are still working to get confirmation on the incident’s details and the condition of the female driver but we have learned that the victims from the second vehicle, a mid-sized SUV, were reportedly not seriously injured. Seattle Fire says four people were in the SUV that collided with a utility pole during the crash. All had to be extricated from the vehicle but none suffered visible injuries. The driver, a male in his 30s, and the three other occupants were taken to Harborview for further examination. We’ll update when we learn more about the female driver of the Volkswagen.

UPDATE 10/27/14 11:00 AM: Seattle Fire has tracked down more information on the condition of the female driver and reports that she was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

UPDATE 10/27/14 1:06 PM: According to the SPD report on the incident, the suspected DUI driver didn’t just take her keys back before getting into the major collision — the 24-year-old managed to get her keys and allegedly pull a fast one on an East Precinct cop who responded to the QFC Harvard Market parking lot and reported the details of the getaway below. According to the report, the suspect told the officer she had been drinking and was intoxicated because she is a “light weight.” She then somehow managed to get her car keys back before tricking the officer into letting her get back in the car. Here’s how the officer reported the incident played out:

Screen Shot 2014-10-27 at 12.43.55 PM

The witness who first reported the suspected DUI driver and took her keys tells CHS the woman was extremely inebriated and that a large crowd had gathered who had also seen her erratic driving and called the police. The witness said he left the keys with the group and left the scene. According to the report, the arriving officer found the woman’s keys on the bumper of her car when he arrived.

According to the initial report, the woman’s car collided with the SUV as it was stopped at the Broadway/James intersection:

Screen Shot 2014-10-27 at 12.44.20 PM Screen Shot 2014-10-27 at 12.44.27 PM

The suspect has not yet been charged with a crime. A check of court records reveals no previous DUI incidents under her name in Seattle.

Original report: According to East Precinct radio broadcasts, a grey Volkswagen two-door involved in the Broadway and James crash was driven by the same woman who witnesses saw hit a tree and a pole near the Harvard Market parking lot just before 2 AM. Witnesses reported that the woman appeared to be intoxicated and that she had taken back her keys and driven from the scene. The Broadway and James crash occurred about 20 minutes later. Police also found victims of a hit and run involving what was believed to be the same suspect at Bellevue and Pike.

The crash occurred following a night of high winds and power outages in Seattle. The area where the collision occurred had power at the time of the incident.

The intersection at Broadway and James was closed during the response and as police collected evidence. An SPD “drug recognition expert” was called to the scene to aid in the investigation.

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Gordon Werner
9 years ago

from King5

Multiple car crash at E James and Broadway. Intersection is closed off and people taken to Harborview pic.twitter.com/JKrWnRIYhe— Doug Dillon (@dougdKING5) October 26, 2014

Amanda Kirk
Amanda Kirk
9 years ago

Can we get an update on the condition of those injured?

LaCrese Green
LaCrese Green
9 years ago

I heard the crash. Then I heard the sirens and got up to see. I watched medics work frantically with a person on the ground near the VW and quickly rush them away in an ambulance. Then I saw ambulances take away individuals from the other vehicle. The cars were so smashed up, it’s a miracle anyone came out alive. My prayers are with all involved.

Joe
Joe
9 years ago
Reply to  LaCrese Green

Definitely prayer here for any innocent victims (not a bit of sympathy here for the drunk driver)

LaCrese Green
LaCrese Green
9 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I do not call it sympathy, Sir, but empathy. I can walk a mile in her shoes for I too have sinned and hurt others badly. No, not in a drunken stupor in a car accident, but it was only through the mercy of God that He forgave me.

I pray especially for the DUI driver and here’s why. How devastating this deed will be to her when and if she sobers up and to her family financially and otherwise.

Last night I was troubled in my spirit for a couple of hours afterwards wondering what if one of them didn’t make it and where will they spend eternity and the only thing I could do to get relief was to pray.

(I knew none of the details until I read the above article at noon today.)

And now to read that one didn’t make it, makes me very sad.

calhoun
9 years ago
Reply to  LaCrese Green

Forgive her if you want, but you will be a small minority in doing so. She does not deserve any compassion whatsoever.

poop
poop
9 years ago

Crazy drunks. This person should never drive again.

Patrick
Patrick
9 years ago

This person should be charged with attempted murder.

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
9 years ago
Reply to  Patrick

Vehicular assault. She wasn’t attempting to murder anyone.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.522

Patrick
Patrick
9 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Assault is the most bogus law on the books, people think assault cases are a few bumps and bruises but many people suffer life altering effects(brain trauma,etc) from vehicle assault or assault 1-2-3.

So sorry, a hit and run is a felony..she was already involved in a felony so if anyone dies in her “big” crash, it should be murder-felony law in effect. I know it wont happen but there is always hope.

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
9 years ago
Reply to  Patrick

You’re right, it won’t happen, because it’s the wrong charge. If someone dies it doesn’t make it murder. It makes it vehicular homicide. Murder assumes premeditation.. Vehicular assault and vehicular homicide are also both felonies. Vehicular homicide is a Class A felony. It can carry a plenty-severe sentence for conviction. The court would not consider it a few bumps and bruises.

Patrick
Patrick
9 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Murder does not note premeditation that’s first degree murder and murder is murder.

The previous hit and run involving people is a felony and under the Washington legal code, if 1 or both of the people suffering life threatening injuries dies, that can be murder under “Second degree murder felony”.

The average sentence for vehicular homicide is 31-177 months so under 3 years to like 14+. That’s pretty light weight for ruining multiple lives.

Uh-uh
Uh-uh
9 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Hey, pal — you go out with the intention of drinking (I don’t care how much or how little) and you drive yourself, THAT constitutes premeditation. It IS murder if that stupid little twit ends up having killed someone. NO EXCUSES.

iluvcaphill
iluvcaphill
9 years ago
Reply to  Patrick

Every single case of DUI should be prosecuted as an attempted murder. You drink, get behind the wheel of weapon, you are attempting to kill people. Period. If we made every DUI a major felony from the get go we’d have a lot less DUI’s. Like nearly every other civilized nation on the planet.

meowcollins
meowcollins
9 years ago

I heard the crash, from my unit at Swedish. A couple of us went out to investigate, and I know I saw the medics take away a bodybag. I pray for those who where injured and I hope the driver serves life in prison. Never drink and drive.

pyeh
pyeh
9 years ago

I was walking south on Pike around 2am when I saw the silver VW crash into orange traffic barriers for a construction site. They accelerated to free the car, pushing the barrier into the middle of Pike. They made a wide left turn, crashing into a parked brand new white Corolla and nearly flipping their own car. They sped north on Pike hitting a few more parked cars and taking out a few sideview mirrors. I hope she gets in serious, serious trouble.

sarah
sarah
9 years ago
Reply to  pyeh

I was also there to see the earlier destruction on Pike outside of Six Arms. Couldn’t believe that ended up being just a footnote to her over-all activities that night. If anybody had been crossing on foot on any of those intersections or god forbid riding their bike up Pike, there would have been deaths for sure from this incident alone. She should absolutely never be allowed within 10 feet of car keys for the rest of her life, and she should be required to do community service for victims of drunk drivers.

bax
bax
9 years ago
Reply to  pyeh

If she was going north on Pike, she must have been wasted….since Pike is an east-west route

pyeh
pyeh
9 years ago
Reply to  bax

Oh, true! my bad- I was visiting Seattle so I don’t know the streets too well. She was headed east on Pike, ultimately. Thanks for the correction!

DB McWeeberton
DB McWeeberton
9 years ago
Reply to  bax

Uphill always feels like north to me–I have to remind myself that it’s east in Capitol Hill!

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[…] DUI crash charges yet: There are still charges filed in last Sunday’s serious collision on Broadway involving a suspected DUI driver who managed to get her keys back from police in one mishap only to […]