Here’s a very important story that got buried by all the Super Bowl frenzy: A woman who was struck while walking across Rainier Ave January 23 spoke to King 5 recently about what it has been like to recover physically and get through the trauma of being struck in a crosswalk by someone in a pickup who fled the scene.
According to police, the suspect is a 50-year-old white man with plate number: WA B33705Z. Anyone with information should call Detective Parker at 206.233.0059.
But whether the suspect is found or not, Myurie Ausler is left to recover and wonder why this happened. Here’s the video:
Unfortunately, Ausler’s collision is just the latest in an essentially endless stream of terrible instances of traffic violence on Seattle’s most dangerous neighborhood street.
But the city is finally getting serious about addressing dangerous road design issues that have plagued the Southeast Seattle street for decades. The project will address dangerous crosswalks, rampant high-end speeding and various other safety issues through a combination of short-term and long-term projects.
Though the city’s project scope actually ends about 1.5 miles south of Massachusetts, where Ausler was struck, it will hopefully be just the start of a desperately-overdue safe streets makeover on Rainier Ave. Once complete, it could be a powerful change in how safe and comfortable the street is for all people whether they are walking, driving, biking, shopping at businesses or waiting for the bus.
Comments
12 responses to “Woman struck while crossing Rainier: ‘I have never been so scared and alone’”
I’m always confused by reports like this – it doesn’t sound like the vehicle is stolen (or at least, it’s not specified), so given that they have the license plates, how can they not be able to find the driver??
they don’t fuckin’ care.
A problem is proving who was driving. We take far too lenient a stance toward owners. If the car is not stolen and the driver was not behind the wheel, the owner gave consent for someone to drive it. The owner should be held complicit in any crimes that happen.
At a minimum, it seems like they should be compelled to tell who was using their car at the time (under penalty of obstruction)…
“Negligent entrustment” says the owner can be liable for allowing an incompetent driver to borrow a vehicle, but that doesn’t address criminal liability for whoever was actually driving.
Assuming it was being driven by someone other than the owner, the owner might well be willing to name the driver in order to escape (or at least share) the cost of treating the victim, but that still doesn’t get to criminal prosecution of the driver.
I passed by the scene just after, and immediately deduced what had happened.
This is a five-lane (with turns) road next to freeway on- and off-ramps, but on a road widely-used by pedestrians. It needs to be made safer.
The situation is awful, but my real frustration here is that if this hadn’t been a hit-and-run, this wouldn’t even be a story… we’d be more concerned if the victim was wearing the dark clothes of the reporter in this story.
These stories occur daily, and they aren’t “accidents” or “oops”es. This is a life-endangering situation that can be avoided.
[…] Woman struck while crossing Rainier: ‘I have never been so scared and alone’ | Seattle Bike Blog […]
This is ridiculous and very true; i relocated to south seattle last year from the north side and i realize how palpable the inequality on the issue of transportation/traffic is. I have crossed numerous points on s. rainier (dont own car) with my two kids both under 5 and i realize how stupid i have been in every case. This experience doesnt even come close to say the worst crossing on Aurora (where peds are allowed to cross). Basically every crossing on S. Rainier is about a mile to half mile apart forcing peds to cross at deadly points. This MUST stop.
Put this next to the article about the women who is not facing any charges after killing a pedestrian in a crosswalk in Kirkland. The prosecutors will not be pressing charges in part because they said “she said she did not even see the pedestrian.”
The one that rolled over her hood and was thrown 30 feet by her car. Couldn’t see him. So, ya know… not her fault. No criminal negligence there.
Do we honestly think if the pickup driver in this case had stopped, anything would change? Too many drivers don’t give a $#@! about pedestrians because they are allowed to not give a $#@! about pedestrians. Simple.
Minimally, we need to revoke some licenses. If you can’t see people who the law says you’re supposed to yield to, then you can’t drive. You’re too stupid or distracted or incapable to have a license.
It is now officially time to suspend all criminal investigation of auto theft and vandalism.
The state should have no greater regard for the mere material property of drivers, the trinkets they call cars, than motorists have for the lives of other road users. I truly believe that automobiles are a piece of property that, due to human and environmental damage caused, no longer deserves protection under the legal system.
[…] show, YouTube or Facebook. This is reality in our community, our neighborhood where innocent Myurie’s, Leo’s , Zeytuna’s and other victims are left in the streets clinging onto or begging for […]
[…] Rainier Ave is Seattle’s most dangerous neighborhood street. There’s a collision every day. Somebody is injured in a traffic collision every two days. And it has been this way for a long time. […]