Someone driving struck and killed a 63-year-old man on a bike at the east end of the Spokane Street Bridge to West Seattle Friday evening. The suspect then fled the scene in a white or silver sedan.
Our deepest condolences to this man’s friends and family.
Seattle Times reporter and West Seattle resident Mike Lindblom was at the horrible scene shortly after it happened and posted a photo (Caution: It is not graphic, but may still be troubling to view). The person on the bike ended up just east of the crosswalk to the east of 11th Ave SW, a commonly-used route for people biking from the Spokane Street Bridge bike path to the bike path that connects to E Marginal Way. SPD has since confirmed that the suspect was driving eastbound.
Though the exact circumstances of the collision are not yet clear, the crosswalk serves as the shorter option for people on bikes crossing the Duwamish River. There is also a winding trail that loops around and under the Spokane Street Bridge, avoiding the street crossing but also taking extra time. Both options are popular along this heavily-used bike route.
“Tragic news,” wrote Seattle Neighborhood Greenways on Twitter. “Our hearts break for this person and their loved ones. This is the key bike route connecting West Seattle to the rest of the city, and must be safe for everyone.”
“Sincere condolences to friends and family of the person killed biking on the West Seattle bridge trail this evening,” Cascade Bicycle Club wrote. “As people who bike, we’re in this together. This is a gut punch to anyone who bikes in the city.”
Detectives are investigating after the driver in a hit and run collision struck and killed a man riding a compact electric bicycle Friday evening near the Spokane Street Bridge.
At 6:55 p.m., police and firefighters responded to Southwest Spokane Street and Klickitat Avenue Southwest for a collision. According to witnesses, the driver of a white or silver sedan traveling eastbound on Southwest Spokane Street struck a bicyclist that was crossing the road. The driver then continued eastbound and fled the scene.
SFD medics attempted life-saving measures on the bicyclist, but the 63-year-old-man was declared deceased at the scene.
Detectives with SPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad responded to process the scene and begin their investigation. They are asking anyone with information about this collision to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
Comments
3 responses to “Driver kills person biking near Spokane Street Bridge then flees the scene”
Condolences to the victim. My two cents is that no amount of infra, aside from a fully separate sky bridge, would make it truly safe. Instead we need security cameras at high-use high-collision intersections to record what happens, and we need police and courts who hold criminals accountable.
I agree. Speaking of, is the driver apprehended? We have witnesses and cameras everywhere in that area.
My condolences too. The argument that that the only way to make things truly safe is a separate sky bridge effectively provides a green light to enable the authorities to continue to provide poor bicycle infrastructure of which this area is an example.