Automobile Accidents

• Enumclaw Crash Injures Four Teens; Alcohol Likely Plays a Part

  Mark McLean | August 09, 2007 2:34 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Four teenagers were badly injured in a single-car motor vehicle accident near the Muckleshoot Reservation outside of Enumclaw early Wednesday morning. Two of the teens were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center. Officials believe that alcohol played a role in the crash.Drinking and driving obviously carries potential criminal penalties. But it also affects civil liability. Under Washington...

• At Least Five Die in Minnesota Bridge Collapse

  Mark McLean | August 06, 2007 12:05 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  At least five people were killed and eight are still missing in the wake of the tragic Interstate 35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis on Thursday. Investigators still have not determined the exact cause of the accident. However, new information has surfaced that warning signs were present before the crash during construction projects on the bridge. [C]onstruction crews working on the Interstate...

• Hoquiam Teen Suffers Personal Injury in Car Crash

  Mark McLean | August 02, 2007 12:50 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A Hoquiam teenager is in critical condition after a vehicle she was a passenger in crashed into a pole in an early Sunday morning accident. The 19 year old driver admitted that alcohol played a role in the crash. The driver of the car told officers that she had been drinking and that she was traveling around 55 to 60 miles per hour just prior to the collision. She said she lost control of the...

• Deputy Struck by Drunk Driver Improving

  Mark McLean | August 02, 2007 12:38 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  King County Sheriff's Deputy Donn Potteiger is improving after being struck by a drunk driver while on duty. However, Deputy Potteiger was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center where doctors were forced to amputate his leg.Potteiger was hurt after being hit by an alleged drunk driver. His right leg was amputated below he knee Monday evening.Washington worker's compensation laws allow...

• Tanker Truck Explodes, Kills One

  Mark McLean | August 02, 2007 10:42 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  An accident between a tanker truck, motorcycle and a pickup truck on Highway 101 north of Shelton recently left one dead and others injured. Apparently, the pickup truck ventured into on-coming traffic and struck the tanker. The tanker exploded after the collision. The driver of the tanker, Phillip Simpson, and the driver of the motorcycle, George Strock, both suffered serious injuries....

• Tacoma Teen Dies in Automobile Accident

  Mark McLean | July 31, 2007 11:15 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A 16 year old Tacoma girl died last week after a vehicle she was a passenger in left the road, hit a tree and rolled over.Troopers say the 17-year-old Tacoma girl who was driving a 2006 Honda Civic on State Route 7 yesterday evening lost control of her vehicle and it left the roadway, hitting a tree and rolling.The passenger ... 16-year-old Ashley Magnusson of Tacoma ... died today at Tacoma...

• Diesel Truck Accident Causes "Traffic Nightmare"

  Mark McLean | July 31, 2007 11:10 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  An accident between a car and a diesel tanker truck caused a "traffic nightmare" last week in I-5 in Federal Way. DOT spokeswoman Greg Phipps said the 14-mile traffic backup was created by a collision between a diesel and a car at 2:53 p.m..Phipps said 60 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the roadway from the fuel tank of the tanker.For more information on this subject, please refer to our...

• There is No Correlation Between Property Damage and Severity of Injuries

  Mark McLean | July 31, 2007 10:56 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Insurance adjusters often analyze an injury claim based on the amount of property damage to the car involved. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration disagrees. On it's official Questions & Answers page, the NHTSA explains two important points: (1) bumpers are not safety features designed to protect passengers; and (2) there is no way to determine how fast a car was traveling...

• Brake Failure Leads to Scooter-Car Accident

  Mark McLean | July 31, 2007 10:49 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A 47 year-old man suffered serious personal injuries after an accident at the intersection of John Street and Melrose Avenue on Seattle's Capitol Hill last week. The man apparently lost control of the scooter when the brakes failed. The 47-year-old man was westbound on East John, heading downhill, when the brakes on his scooter apparently failed. Unable to stop, the man sped downhill past...

• Multi-Car Crash Blocks SR 599

  Mark McLean | July 26, 2007 12:16 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A multi-car crash blocked all lanes of Southbound State Route (SR) 599 yesterday. All lanes of southbound state Route 599 were blocked by a collision at the Metro bus barn in Tukwila Wednesday afternoon, according to Department of Transportation officials.The Washington State Patrol, King County Sheriff's Department, fire, rescue and a DOT Incident Response Team responded at the scene.Traffic...