Two pedestrians have been hit while crossing the street near the corner of 85th and Greenwood. Police have closed 85th Avenue between Palatine and Greenwood avenues.More info shortly. Thanks, Steve, for the tip.
This is what Steve saw:
Two people were struck by a car while crossing the street after leaving Gorditos (not in a crosswalk). One of them looks to be in critical / unresponsive condition. Late teens / early 20s, I’d guess.
A couple TV choppers are over the scene of the accident, which happened at about 4:10 p.m. According to our sources, two males were transported to Harborview. One was alert and sitting up. The other was knocked unconscious, but later regained consciousness.
Update: Shiny gives us this additional info:
Two teens, who appeared to be about 14 and 15 years old, were hit by a small Mazda hatchback while running across the street between Gorditos restaurant and the Green Bean Coffeehouse. According to the driver, he was travelling about 30 miles per hour when the teens darted in front of him. Although he slammed on his brakes and swerved to avoid them, both were hit.
Medical response arrived quickly and in force. Both teens were treated at the scene, eventually moved to stretchers, and then taken to Harborview in separate ambulances.
More details here on KIRO’s site (Photo from KIRO-TV’s chopper). If anyone has more details or photos, please send them to tips@phinneywood.com.
Update, part 2: Police now say the two teens were running to catch a bus and didn’t see the westbound car.
32 responses so far ↓
1 joe // Oct 14, 2008 at 5:19 pm
30 mph is actually slow for most drivers there, as that intersection is sometimes a speedway as people try to make the light…
2 PeachyKeen // Oct 14, 2008 at 8:50 pm
yes, ladies and gentlemen, yet another fabulous reason to CROSS AT THE LIGHT! not that I wish for anyone to get hurt, but I see this DAILY DAILY DAILY everywhere in the city. People in Seattle have this self righteous “oh everyone will stop for me” attitude/ Well/ Sometimes it’s too late to try to stop for you. I hope the boys are ok, and hope they become a lesson for others.
3 Michael McGinn // Oct 14, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Yes, it is an excellent reason to cross at the light. It is also an excellent reason to redesign our streets for safety, not for the speed of automobiles. If any other product besides automobiles created this type of carnage we would demand that they be banned until redesigned for safety. With autos, we blame the drivers and pedestrians, even though we know with certainty that there will be many more accidents exactly like this one. How about we expect slower auto speeds, and make our streets safer?
4 Paul M // Oct 14, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Sorry to hear about this incident.
A repaint of the crosswalks at 85th/Greenwood would be a nice touch. And a red light camera would be the icing on the cake.
5 Don // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:35 am
Based on the resports, they got what they deserved. Darwin award wanna-bees.
And yes Mr. McGinn, it is the drivers and Pedestrians at fault in most cases like these (the pedestrians often not get the amount of blame they deserve) NOT the vehicle.
6 David Stoesz // Oct 15, 2008 at 7:55 am
No one deserves to be hit by a car. That’s a really fucked-up thing to say. You should be ashamed of yourself.
7 Ep // Oct 15, 2008 at 8:33 am
Don, you’re an asshole. These are kids. When have you known a kid who thinks before he or she reacts? Never. They didn’t deserve this.
8 Kate Martin // Oct 15, 2008 at 8:45 am
It’s interesting, but statistically most pedestrians are hit in crosswalks at signalized intersections and that is where most of the deaths of pedestrians occurs as well. They are hit by drivers going straight. The concept of crossing at crosswalks sort of organizes the traffic signal sequences, but doesn’t really save lives.
Lowered enforced speed limits work worldwide and as soon as we get out of auto culture mode and into sharing the power in the right of way we’ll see less carnage of transit riders, pedestrians and bike riders.
Regardless of the speed limit, the law says drive at a speed that allows you to respond to conditions in the roadway. In a congested area like 85th and Greenwood, that is about 20mph.
What happens a lot at this particular location is that cars zip out and around the #48 bus that stops at 85th and Greenwood westbound. I’m speculating, but it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities that the car pulled out of the curbside lane and into the next lane to get around the bus and the kids didn’t see the car when they looked because it wasn’t there when they looked.
Anyway, the cards are tilted in favor of drivers until the enforcement of the law starts to back the others. Prosecution of drivers breaking the law is not happening and so killing people with cars or maiming them is not taken too seriously. I imagine that change is coming and I look forward to it.
9 phinneydweller // Oct 15, 2008 at 9:09 am
See, this is the problem here. All of you are saying “poor kids”, when in fact they should be smacked upside the head for a)not looking before crossing and b)not using a crosswalk. I hope they get handed a jay-walking ticket as soon as they leave the hospital. they deserve it. I don’t know where they get it from, but people here think they can just hop off a curb into traffic. Wake up people, the whole city of Seattle can’t have a 20mph speed limit and people at some point have to have responsibilty for their actions.
10 Kate Martin // Oct 15, 2008 at 9:56 am
You see, I actually do think we should have a lowered citywide speed limit of 25 on arterials and 20 on residential streets, less on the ones without sidewalks. The RCW allows for it and towns from one end of this state to the other are doing it. As soon as driving is recognized as a privilege and walking is recognized as a right, the balance will begin to work. It’s already happening. You see, these kids were smacked upside the head by a bumper or a windshield or some other car part. Slower speeds would keep impulsive kids from showing up in a coroner’s report. If you have kids of your own, you might want to hope you never are in a situation where they’re calling the time of death of your kid at Harborview. Deserve it? And what do you deserve?
11 Susan Mullen // Oct 15, 2008 at 10:14 am
I live in Greenwood and catch the #5 bus southbound at 85th and Greenwood every weekday morning. I come home on the #48 eastbound and go through the same intersection. There are several problems that seem to have come together yesterday.
One problem is the fact that one cannot depend on the 48 bus to be on time, ever. People do have a tendency to get desperate when they see one, because who knows when they will see one again. I know that the 48 is scheduled every 15 minutes, and sometimes you will actually see one every 15 minutes. But I’ve also waited half an hour or more during peak travel times.
Two is kids being kids. I don’t think there’s any way to deal with that. Parents can, and must, teach their kids to be as safe as possible, but often it’s a matter of luck whether or not the teaching sinks in. I admit here that I was strongly tempted to think of the Darwin awards myself, but it is true that kids are kids and drivers need to watch out for them.
Three is drivers. I have to admit that I am prejudiced, being a non-driver. I think speed limits in the city should be much lower. I also think it should be much more difficult to get a driver’s license, but that’s another subject.
I agree that we need a red-light camera at the intersection of 85th and Greenwood. Awhile back the Mayor’s office was asking for suggestions about locations for those cameras, and I spoke up for 85th and Greenwood along with a few other intersections I’m familiar with.
I am very sorry for everyone involved in the accident yesterday. Maybe our discussion here of safety issues will be of some help in preventing another accident.
12 Paul M // Oct 15, 2008 at 10:14 am
It’s just a matter of time before a similar or worse incident happens at 87th/Greenwood. Every day I see people traffic dodging/taking their life in their hands crossing to Safeway to Walgreens and visa versa. The pedestrian crossing is less than a block away yet folks cross regardless.
The area will only get busier when the new construction behind Bartells is completed. Fun fun fun.
13 Sheila // Oct 15, 2008 at 10:31 am
I can’t believe anyone is blaming the driver. My God, the kids were jaywalking. Yes, they are kids, but even kids know not to jaywalk, especially not on a busy street. Poor driver. They are probably scarred for life. I know I would be.
14 MonkeyPilot // Oct 15, 2008 at 12:43 pm
85th and Greenwood is a terrible intersection. Whether I’m driving a car or riding my bike through there, I avoid it like the plague. I’ll freely admit I’m one of those people that uses the residential side streets to get around that terrible spot. Traffic patterns and bus stops should be changed to better manage flow through it. (For example, why are bus stops past the intersection, instead of before it?). And Paul’s right- it is bound to get worse.
There is plenty of blame to go around here, as people have noted. But I believe strongly that one of the reasons people ignore speed limits is that they go unenforced. When is the last time you saw someone pulled over for speeding? Especially off the interstate. It just doesn’t happen.
15 Evan // Oct 15, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Actually - just last week I was sitting at the light at the same intersection and saw some kids dart into traffic from the N side of 85th on their way to get to the 5 bus that had just crossed the intersection headed South.
Right at that moment the light turned green, and they almost got hit by a big truck that was just starting up. I wonder if it was the same kids?
I have to comment on Don - what an ass. I don’t care how “right” you were - if you’re a car and you hit a person - you’ve done something wrong.
16 phinneydweller // Oct 15, 2008 at 1:39 pm
have to agree with Don. I’m sorry, but no matter if the speed limit is 20mph, dry or rainy, someone darts out in front of your car without looking? it’s difficult to stop or swerve and miss them. dumb kid’s family will now probably sue him, since that’s what our society does, over something he should be getting them to pay for since they ruined his car.
and Kate? saying I should wait for the call from the police on my kids? it’s the parents job to teach them appropriate behavior. you have to trust you brought them up teaching them not to break the law. and if my kids got into trouble for breaking the law? you better believe I’d want them to get what’s coming to them.
17 will // Oct 15, 2008 at 2:56 pm
pedestrians always have the right of way. if you can’t see whether or not someone is about to dart into the street you need to SLOW DOWN.
18 Sheila // Oct 15, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Pedestrians have the right of way, but if they are darting into traffic, it is not the driver’s fault if they are unable to stop in time. Laws are for everyone and if you can’t anticipate another person’s actions because they aren’t following the law, it doesn’t matter what speed the car is driving. Every day I have to predict which pedestrians are going to jaywalk, which cyclists are going to do their own thing and predict which cars are going to back up without looking. Seattle is the worst city I have seen in this regard and I lived in LA and went to NYC many times.
19 Kate Martin // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Are you willing to drive slow enough so you can respond to the conditions in the right of way or not?
20 Sheila // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Conditions? Do you mean that I should hold up traffic and go under the posted speed limit for the off chance that a pedestrian might break the law and run in front of my car? I would get a ticket for breaking the law because I was going too slow. Just follow the laws people and no one gets hurt.
21 Annie // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Being a close relative of the driver, I would like to let all of you know that the driver of this vehicle was not driving reclessly. Please know that this kind of FREAK accident could have happened to anybody! Everybody is human and these poor boys made an honest but dumb mistake. We are all praying for them and hope they heal fast, but please know that the driver was NOT in the wrong. I think if you are unsure of the facts you should keep your uninformed comments to yourself. Remember, if he would have left his point of destination thirty seconds later YOU could have been the one to hit these poor boys. There is a big lesson to be learned here for everyone. I can’t tell you how much this has affected everyone in our family including the driver. He is not some crazed, manic, speeding, bus passing, impatient driver. He is probably one of the most patient and conscienscious drivers on the road.
22 Sheila // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Annie, I really feel for your relative. I know I would be devastated if I hurt a pedestrian (or another driver) even if I knew I did all I could to not hurt them.
23 Kate Martin // Oct 15, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Annie, what could be a bigger burden than dealing with hitting some kids in your neighborhood. I’m sorry for you and your family.
Sounds like Sheila’s not willing to see a lowered enforced speed limit. The auto centric paradigm being what it is. If you wouldn’t get arrested for driving slow, would you please do it? That is the question. Even Omak is doing it. So is Bellingham, and pretty much every town in the state because state law supports it.
Would you do it? I would. In a heartbeat. In fact I do.
24 pray4them // Oct 16, 2008 at 12:42 am
I know all of you bloggin about this incident want to find someone to blame. That is the only thing we can do when something tragic like this happens.
Unless you saw what happened first hand it is impossible to say whom was at fault. Young teenagers don’t think the way adults do and do stupid things sometimes…Even adults dash across busy roads to save a few feet of walking at a safe crosswalks or intersection. The fact is that when two small people dart through stopped trucks and SUV’s there is no way to see them until they are right on top of you.
There is nothing I could have done to stop this tragic accident. I was very alert of my surroundings. I was going below the speed limit and not distracted by a cell phone or anything else in my car. I tried to swerve out of the way but there were moving vehicles on the other side of me.
The two of them bolted accross the road blindly and hit the side of the car. If they had been in front of me I may have had time to stop… If I had been moving faster they would have been hit by the car behind me… if I had been moving slower I would have hit them from the front and ran over the top of them.
The two boys jumped into the side of the vehicle not in front of it giving absolutly no warning or time for me to react.
I’m not writing this to defend myself I am writing to tell you all to pray for the well being of these young kids and healing the pain they and their families must be feeling right now.
I am not guilty of anything but have a lot of remorse because those kids were really hurt. All I can do is pray for them and their families. Please stop trying to put blame and just talk to the young people in your life about how important it is to be cautious when crossing busy streets and use crosswalks even if it is inconvienent… My blessings to the parents and thank you all for listening -the driver-
25 Sheila // Oct 16, 2008 at 10:35 am
“Sounds like Sheila’s not willing to see a lowered enforced speed limit.”
When was I asked if a reduced speed limit would be a good thing? Don’t accuse me of not being willing. I am a very defensive driver and have never in 27 years of driving ever caused an accident.
26 Walker // Oct 16, 2008 at 2:58 pm
When will people learn? Streets are for people not cars!
27 Paul M // Oct 16, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Well North of 85th the streets are unfortunately for the people & the cars seeing as sidewalks are so few and far between. With the nights closing in now I would ask all drivers in the area to watch for pedestrians like myself who have to negotiate the traffic.
28 green'hood // Oct 17, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Walker–SIDEWALKS are for people. Streets are for cars.
29 CTP // Oct 17, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I think that we need to get away from the idea that pedestrians have the right of way in a street. What if that car had been a bus, a sound transit train, or a large delivery or garbage truck, or even a bicycle? Can any of those things stop fast enough to avoid a pedestrian? Can pedestrians and traffic vehicles share a road? maybe, under certain conditions yes. but not always, anytime, and anywhere IMHO. My heart goes out to the family of the innocent driver who will end up paying for this again and again :/
I am also sorry that the kids must also suffer for being “kids will be kids” and learning a hard hard lesson
CTP
30 J // Oct 17, 2008 at 5:24 pm
One of the boys is Critical and is not expected live. He has two broken legs and a swelling of the brain.
31 Joe // Jan 30, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Hey, it’s sad when someone gets hurt. But personal responsibility must apply. How “safe” can we possibly make things. Many countries that I have been to don’t even have a road/sidewalk. It’s kind of a free for all. Amazingly people seem to still get from point a to point b without incident. 20 miles per hour- are you crazy?
Annie and Pray I feel for you.
Kate you sound like a self righteous blow-hard who is full of S**T. I’ve lived in many places and never have I seen 20 mi per hr. Good luck with that.
Don’t you have anything better to do with your life? I do…
later.
32 jonn // Oct 13, 2009 at 11:09 am
If you think that the two of them go hit on purpose or j walked or just didn’t look both way your wrong. One of them is my friend his name is hector, the one that left a dent on the side of tha car, and I know the story. He told me, and he got hit by a car 3 times. That time was his third. If you think this is a lie just F*** yourself. The story is, he was just coming from this store ( I forgot the name he told me yesterday ) and he said he and his friend just got finished eating a burrito, they walked out and they looked both ways and the crosswalk showed walk, then when he took a few steps and a car came out of nowhere. He didn’t feel the blow because he passed out, Idk about the other guy. He and his friend had wen’t to the hospital ( of course ) and hector’s friend got to leave that night to go home, but he didn’t. And then he got to leave the next day. You can ask him today at 1:10pm on this thingy that I’m giving you info on.
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