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Woman survives being run over by car at 15th and Harrison — UPDATE

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The car in the collision appeared undamaged from the incident (Image: CHS)

Seattle Fire rushed a woman in her 60s to Harborview Wednesday morning after she was reportedly struck by a car and run over as she crossed the street at 15th Ave E and E Harrison.

According to SFD, the woman sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries in the collision that happened around 8:45 AM. A 911 caller reported that the car drove over the woman as it struck her. We do not yet have official confirmation on how the collision transpired.

[mappress mapid=”32″]Seattle Police stopped traffic on 15th during the emergency response and as the investigation at the scene continued. A drug recognition expert was called to investigate. We have no details yet from SPD beyond their confirmation that investigators were working at the scene.

UPDATE: Per police radio dispatches, the driver reportedly was turning right from 15th Ave E onto Harrison when the woman was struck and run over. Police at the scene said the driver shows no signs of impairment but the drug recognition expert had not yet arrived at the scene.

UPDATE — 4/10/13 4:45 PM: Seattle Police tell us details from the traffic collision investigation are not yet available but shared some preliminary information about the incident.

According to police, the victim was walking north on 15th Ave E crossing E Harrison as the driver was turning right from 15th onto Harrison. “He struck the pedestrian at a low rate of speed, knocking her to the ground,” the reporting officer wrote. “The driver ran over the pedestrian before he was able to stop.”

Police tell us the last update on the unidentified victim is that she suffered possible internal injuries and extensive fractures. She is currently in care at Harborview. We were not been able to get any further updates on her condition at this time.

Police say the driver was alone in the vehicle and did not show any signs of impairment at the time of the incident but that the results from the SPD drug recognition expert’s assessment of the driver were not yet available.

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Cafe Asunder
Cafe Asunder
10 years ago

Hurl small objects like pennies, nickels at speeding cars. The immature, unfocused drivers in our neighborhood have got to stop playing games and slow down.

genevieve
genevieve
10 years ago
Reply to  Cafe Asunder

yes, because bombarding speeding vehicles with objects that may startle the driver will definitely increase driver focus and reduce accidents.

Robert
Robert
10 years ago
Reply to  genevieve

Thank you.

lifeguard
10 years ago
Reply to  genevieve

Throwing an object at a moving vehicle is also a felony.

Cafe Asunder
Cafe Asunder
10 years ago
Reply to  jseattle

The comment was hyperbole in order to make a point. Sorry, should have been clearer that it was exaggeration. I have, though, thought about throwing something at a car that was coming at me blindly in an intersection in order to get their attention and make them stop. As it is, I usually have to yell.

Sherry Howland
Sherry Howland
10 years ago

Seriously, I live on Harrison, I walk in this area daily. Drivers are more concerned with texting, talking and beating other drivers through the intersections than actually watching WTF they’re doing. I hope the woman recovers. Wwhat I hope for the driver is not suitable for print

Timmy73
Timmy73
10 years ago

People not only need to slow down, pedestrians need to stop jaywalking. Folks need to use the crosswalk and drivers need to stop for them.

I don’t know the cause of this accident but I drive 15th a couple times a day and everyone needs to be more cautious.

Hopefully the woman makes a full recovery.

kerry
kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  Timmy73

I cross at this intersection several times a day, and it has a marked crosswalk. I usually don’t have too much trouble with drivers yielding here, except when it’s raining and it seems like nobody is looking for pedestrians crossing.
Also, every intersection in Seattle, whether marked or not (unless explicitly marked otherwise) is a crosswalk, and vehicles are expected to yield to pedestrians:
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/pedrcw.htm

Your definition of “jaywalking” might need adjusting.

Timmy73
Timmy73
10 years ago
Reply to  kerry

I’m not defining jaywalking. Just in general as it is a problem up and down 15th Ave. of course people need to yield in intersections.

kerry
kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  Timmy73

If you weren’t suggesting that the woman who was run over by a car this morning was jaywalking, I’m not entirely sure what your comment was supposed to mean. There are three lights on 15th in this neighborhood (Denny, John/Thomas, and Republican). I’ve only ever seen jaywalking be a problem at the Denny light, which has a ridiculously slow cycle. I’m not sure where “up and down” 15th you’re seeing all this jaywalking, and it’s most certainly not a problem at the marked crosswalk at Harrison.

Timmy73
Timmy73
10 years ago
Reply to  kerry

Kerry I’m saying I drive 15th daily and see people jaywalking between Madison and prospect (aka up and down 15th). I’m not suggesting the was jaywalking. I wasn’t there.

My post was a general observation and that people need to be more cautious.

Better?

Ummmm
Ummmm
10 years ago
Reply to  kerry

Kerry, I jay walk regularly from the lot at keybank to the coffee shop, with no intersection nearby. You seem to be very focused on the law and as it pertains to crosswalks, when the true definition of jawalking expands on that, and seems to go outside of your guidelines for arguement. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywalking

kerry
kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  Timmy73

@Ummmm –
I’m focused on the comment that “pedestrians jaywalk too much” on a post about someone who was struck by a car in an intersection. It would be impossible to jaywalk where she was struck, it is an intersection and one with a marked crosswalk, at that. It seemed like perhaps the poster was under the impression that crossing at an unmarked crosswalk counts as “jaywalking,” a common misunderstanding.

shamwow
shamwow
10 years ago
Reply to  kerry

You say, “every intersection in Seattle, whether marked or not (unless explicitly marked otherwise) is a crosswalk, and vehicles are expected to yield to pedestrians”.

However, the law (that you provide a link to) says this:

(5) Yield right of way. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than in a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

Perhaps I am joining this convo too late in the game to even make this point, but it really bothers me that there is such a misunderstanding of the law. Pedestrians seem to think if they are standing at the curb of an intersection drivers are supposed to yield to them. That is not the law. Once IN (and IN being the key word) a crosswalk, marked or unmarked, yes drivers should yield. But when one wants to cross the street, one is supposed to yield to the vehicles. I cannot even count how many times people have just walked into crosswalks (marked and unmarked) here and felt it was the drivers job to yield. Ridiculous. That causes a huge safety problem. If I am driving and want to enter a roadway, I don’t expect the other cars to stop for me. I need to wait until it is safe to go. The same goes for pedestrians. This is not a comment directed at this particular accident but one directed at the constant misconception of the law that pedestrians harp about all the time when something happens.

Kerry
Kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  shamwow

I’m sorry, you seem to be explaining that a pedestrian needs to be in the crosswalk for vehicles to yield, and then you complain about having to yield to pedestrians who enter the crosswalk. How are we supposed to get you to yield to us if we’re neither supposed to wait at the curb nor enter the crosswalk?

shamwow
shamwow
10 years ago
Reply to  Kerry

What I am saying is that pedestrians need to yield to vehicles before they cross, meaning BEFORE they walk into the crosswalk to cross, they need to make sure there are no vehicles coming. They need to wait for a break in traffic. I am also saying that I regularly observe pedestrians walk directly into crosswalks without yielding to traffic and expecting all traffic to just stop. Clear?

Kerry
Kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  shamwow

I should add that thesis the first action of the law: “(1) Stopping for pedestrian. The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway within a crosswalk unmarked or marked when the pedestrian is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning.”

How is standing at a corner not count as being upon a crosswalk, marked or unmarked?

shamwow
shamwow
10 years ago
Reply to  Kerry

Cars need to stop for pedestrians who are in the process of crossing the street. That’s what the law says. Not that cars need to yield to pedestrians that WANT to cross the street but have not yet started to cross.

“when the pedestrian is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning”.
On a two-way, two lane road a person needs to be in the roadway of one of the lanes. On a two-way 4 lane road, a person needs to be crossing through one of the lanes of traffic. There is nothing about people standing on corners that requires cars to stop. My point is that confusing causes safety hazards for drivers and pedestrians (I am BOTH).

Kerry
Kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  shamwow

The part that you quote is referring to people crossing at any point OTHER than a crosswalk. A person who is standing upon a crosswalk should be yielded to. A person crossing mid-block must yield to all cars.

shamwow
shamwow
10 years ago
Reply to  Kerry

I guess you are just going to read the law to fit into your misinterpretation of it no matter how it is presented.

Tom
Tom
10 years ago
Reply to  Timmy73

this particular intersection has no lights. It’s one of those crazy places where Harrison jogs over a bit before continuing. There’s no chance of jaywalking if the victim was walking across Harrison.

You’re right that folks need to stop crossing against the light which IS jaywalking, but that doesn’t apply here.

JimS
JimS
10 years ago
Reply to  Timmy73

I’m going to expound a little bit on something Timmy said, no doubt suffer a shitstorm of indignant comments. But WTF…

Pedestrians need to take a more actively defensive posture when walking. That is not to excuse the careless actions of drivers. It’s just reality – you get hit by a car, even if it was the driver’s fault, you’re still dead.

Last week I was heading northbound on 12th Ave. turning left at Republican. A pedestrian was crossing you looking at the corner parentheses as she was supposed to) but was in my blind spot. I started my turn, saw her, and hit the brakes. No screeching, no “just in time”, no problem. Wasn’t even close. But she jumped about a foot in the air, startled, because what was she doing? Dicking around with her phone. What if I hadn’t seen her? She could’ve easily gotten hit. Would it have been the driver’s fault? Yes, of course. She would still be dead. Pedestrians need to get their self-righteous heads out of their asses, and walk as though their life depended on it. Stop assuming drivers will always see them, even though the drivers are the more responsible ones in the situation. You could be right, but you’ll still be dead.

Kid
Kid
10 years ago
Reply to  JimS

12th Avenue is a REAL problem. I exit I-5 on the James Street exit and follow 12th all of the way up to where it deadends on Aloha. There are clearly marked cross walks around Seattle U but the further you travel up towards John St., the more I intentionally give pedestrians the right of way when they are standing on corners that are unmarked and without crosswalks. I think there is even a nursery school or preschool tucked away up there so, there are LOTS of pedestrians (both adults and children). I watch my rearview mirror constantly because I invariably get some tail-gating, texting twit behind me who thinks they can speed up 12th, nevermind the poor pedestrians who are standing cautiously on corners in the pouring rain. So, I guess it works both ways with stupid people texting (whether they are walking or driving). WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING, PEOPLE, AND PULL OVER OR STOP WALKING IF YOU THINK WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY IS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT CAN’T WAIT UNTIL YOU REACH YOUR DESTINATION. Idiots.

DanG
DanG
10 years ago
Reply to  Timmy73

Timmy73 – while there is nothing wrong with the content of your comment, it’s context leaves a lot to be desired and makes me question your motivations. The story is about a woman run over while crossing at a marked intersection. Not someone crossing against a light or crossing mid-block. She was crossing at a marked intersection. The driver not only hit her, but proceeded to drive over her. At a slow rate of speed. If not impaired, there seems to be some serious negligence on the part of the driver.

So why bring up a comment about jaywalking in this context? Whether you intended it or not, your comment insinuates the woman who was run over is somehow to blame. I am pretty certain this is not what you intended—that your intention was really an observation about hazardous situations you witness as a driver along 15th—but instead your comment comes off as callous and deflects attention from the real, life-altering issue at hand. That issue being a pedestrian, who by all appearances was crossing the street as she is “supposed to”, was driven over by a car whose driver was incapable of stopping despite a slow rate of speed.

capitolcaleb
capitolcaleb
10 years ago

that poor woman. hoping for a quick recovery

Manny
Manny
10 years ago

Bunch of fucking moron drivers all over this neighborhood. People blowing through crosswalks, speeding down streets, not stopping or at least slowing down at all the 4 way intersections our side streets have. I’m surprised there aren’t more accidents. Wishing this victim a speedy recovery.

SMAJ
SMAJ
10 years ago

This is not a problem unique to Capitol Hill, this is an epidemic. And once again, it turns into a battle between drivers and pedestrians. I am endangered multiple times every single day on my twelve block walk to work and back. I have found the “safest” route to get there but, it is only safer by degrees.

I was hit while walking two years ago by a driver turning left. He barreled full speed through the crosswalk paying attention only to the break in traffic which allowed him to do so. He hit and threw me over 15 feet. He didn’t kill me but, two years later, I am still suffering from the injuries. Nothing happened to him. Not even a fine.

Even if this woman survives, she may feel the effects of her injuries for the rest of her life. Not to mention, the sinking fear in the gut every time a car that is turning approaches and moves into the crosswalk because they are too impatient to wait for her to reach the curb.

With driving a car comes great responsibility. You should not be listening to headphones, texting/talking on your phone, eating, holding your dog, etc. Your full attention should be on the road, on other cars, and most of all, on pedestrians.

Concerned about my impact on the environment, I chose to give my car away over 20 years ago. I have depended on walking and public transportation since then. My partner is car-free, as well. We’re concerned for the planet but, it is unlikely our choices will have much impact. It is more likely we will die trying.

Tom
Tom
10 years ago
Reply to  SMAJ

I *SO* agree with you about the headphone thing. Now these asshats are stuffing ear buds in and saying they’re a hands free device knowing it’s too difficult to tell from a distance if it is or isn’t a legitimate device.

I’ll be interested to find out more after the investigation is finished.

t
t
10 years ago
Reply to  SMAJ

People in this country (it is not just a Seattle thing) treat driving like a leisure activity. It doesn’t help that the test to get a driver’s license is pathetically easy. Any moron can get a driver’s license in this country without knowing even the basics of the rules. Contrast this to Germany which has a very strict test and a much stronger culture of order and responsibility around driving.

BB
BB
10 years ago
Reply to  SMAJ

I experience a left hand turning driver almost hit me about twice a week. I look at any car making a left turn and assume they don’t see me. They are only looking for that break in traffic to zip through. It’s scary and most of the drivers smile as if they are doing you a favor by stopping 1 foot away from you.

kerry
kerry
10 years ago
Reply to  SMAJ

Your experience is eerily similar to my own. Got rid of my car years ago, my partner and I live happily car-free, but the extra time on foot means more chances to be hurt. I was hit by a driver making a rushed left turn at a light (I think he was trying to get through the light before oncoming traffic started moving, but since he drove off I don’t know for sure), and 4 years later I’m still dealing with the repercussions of being hit. My injuries were relatively minor, I can’t imagine what the victim in this accident will be dealing with as she recovers.
Too many people forget that their lives are not more valuable than anybody else’s. Just because I have someplace to be, it doesn’t mean you don’t have an equally important need. Too often we walk and drive like our needs outweigh those of everybody else. The difference is, however, that the balance of risk is weighted heavily on the pedestrian. Choosing to walk shouldn’t be a dangerous proposition.

Scott
Scott
10 years ago

Any update on who it was and how she’s doing?

Pudding Tane
Pudding Tane
10 years ago
Reply to  jseattle

She lives in my building. She broke several ribs and her ankle and punctured a lung, and she may have sustained other internal injuries. She’s been moved out of the ICU and into a private room. I wish her a speedy recovery.

Neighbor
10 years ago

So this particular intersection (and in fact this whole corner of the hood) is suddenly far busier than it was ever designed to be in terms of lights, crosswalks, etc. What was once a sleepy little neighborhood crossing is now a major intersection with unprecedented traffic: foot, bike car. Yes there is a marked crosswalk there. Yes, drivers definitely need to slow down and get off the phone. Yes, pedestrians have the right of way. BUT we as pedestrians bear at least some responsibility for our own personal safety as well, do we not?

I walk around this neck of the woods all the time and I regularly see people dressed head to toe in dark clothing, playing with their phones, meandering out into traffic without looking, sometimes at a crosswalk, sometimes not. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been forced to jump out of the way to avoid walking smack into people who are too busy texting to watch where the f- they are going as they wander all over the sidewalk.

To be clear: I’m not at all saying that’s what happened in this situation, and no one deserves to be hit by a car no matter what. But from a practical standpoint everyone needs become more self-aware, pedestirans included, especially because this part of the neighborhood is only going to be flooded with more and more traffic/cars as density increases. Imagine what this intersection is going to be like once Bakery Nouveau opens up.

JimS
JimS
10 years ago
Reply to  Neighbor

I totally agree, that’s the point I was making above. And before anybody gets their noses out of joint, remember that anyone who drives a car is a pedestrian at times too, so WE KNOW pedestrians have the right of way. Perfect example is when it snows, and it’s icy, and even as cars are driving 5 mph, you see pedestrians crossing in front of slow moving cars and just assuming the car will stop– if they CAN! Like you said, everyone should PUT THE PHONE DOWN and concentrate on driving, biking, or yes– walking!

Sherry
Sherry
10 years ago
Reply to  JimS

I’m with you, altho aS a pedestrian, I certainly feel the vulnerability that a driver doesn’t share. That corner is crazy busy (altho my personal nightmare is Pike & Boren…GADS!), it was only a matter of time. Scott has the right outlook. Let’s think about the victim, hope she pulls thru okay. The driver…we shall see the story there.

Cautious pedestrian
Cautious pedestrian
10 years ago

I wish the woman a quick recovery. As a pedestrian, i am extra cautious. i was nearly hit downtown the other day when I had the walk sign. Driver was making a hurried left turn onto 5th. Driver didn’t look at all, just came barreling through and came to a screeching halt when I yelled. People on the other side of the car thought I might have been hit, it was that close. My assumption these days is that the driver isn’t paying attention, so I have to.

harvardave
harvardave
10 years ago

Wishing the woman a speedy recovery. If anybody knows her and there is any way to help I would like to know.

B
B
10 years ago

The speed limit on 15th E between Denny and Roy should be 20 mph, strictly enforced. (Maybe even 15 mph) Between the hospital and the retail, there is as much foot traffic there as in any school zone.

Most drivers are respectful of that, and proceed carefully, but every once in a while someone blows through and it is so profoundly dangerous when it happens.

That may or may not have played a role, here (it just as likely was inattention on the part of the driver, pedestrian, or both) but some flashing lights and strict speed enforcement would go a long way towards making everyone more attentive to their surroundings.

Cathy
Cathy
10 years ago

I am very familiar with this intersection having lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years. I have no idea if this played a role in the accident, but there is very often a limited line of sight for that crosswalk on the west side of the street because of parked cars. A sign on the corner telephone pole prohibits parking within 30 feet, which is approximately two car lengths. However, I almost always see a car parked closer than that, particularly since the new restaurants went into the Tilden’s space. In fact, the Google street view clearly shows a parked car within 10 feet of the sign. As a pedestrian, it often requires you to wade out into traffic to see if it is safe to cross. As a driver, it gives you less time to see if someone is wading out into traffic if your view is blocked by a car. It makes sense to paint the curb red in that area to indicate a no parking zone or add a “no parking south of here” sign to the post that has the sign that limits parking during the day. This is especially important as demand increases for on-street parking with the arrival of new businesses and new development to our once sleepy 15th Ave E commercial district.

Sam
Sam
10 years ago
Reply to  Cathy

True that – sight lines for drivers and pedestrians alike are really bad on Capitol Hill. Too many cars parked right up to the edge of intersections makes it nearly impossible to see what’s coming down the road.

Sam
Sam
10 years ago

For what it’s worth – I saw the accident as I was driving north on 15th. The driver wasn’t speeding at all, just making a normal right-hand turn. However, he totally hit this person pushed her down the road and then ran over her. The only thing I can think of is that the driver was totally not paying attention. He must not have been looking forward at all as he would have seen her for sure. He didn’t lurch forward or anything after hitting her – I don’t think he realized anything had happened until he actually ran over the top of this person. Tragic for sure.

JimS
JimS
10 years ago
Reply to  Sam

Worth mentioning too is that cars do have blind spots. You can be driving slowly, looking for pedestrians, otherwise think you’re being responsible, and still have a near-miss or worse. I’m not excusing the driver’s actions– clearly it was his fault, no matter what. People always assume the drivers must have been doing something egregious, but sometimes shit just happens.