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Multi-vehicle collisions with life-threatening injuries

On October 21st at approximately 6:15 p.m. an adult male suspect was driving his black Ford Fusion sedan northbound on 15th Avenue NW.  Witnesses told investigating officers that the suspect was traveling at a high rate of speed.  At NW 70th Street the suspect struck an occupied vehicle and continued northbound without stopping.  The occupants of the struck vehicle were not injured. 

As the suspect approached the intersection of 15th Avenue NW and NW 75th Street he collided into the rear end of a Subaru that was occupied by a male driver believed to be in his 40’s and a three to four-year-old girl who was in a car seat positioned in the rear seat of the vehicle.  That collision initiated a chain reaction of collisions: the Subaru subsequently was pushed into the rear of a white Dodge pickup truck that was pushed into another Subaru and a Volvo that were all facing northbound. 

For reasons yet to be determined, the first Subaru caught on fire with the injured driver and young girl trapped inside the vehicle.  Parties involved in the series of collisions obtained a fire extinguisher and were able to put out the fire prior to the arrival of police officers and fire department personnel.  Simultaneously, a nearby business owner rushed outside and extricated the little girl from the burning Subaru. 

Due to the positioning and extensive damage to the vehicle, these citizen-rescuers were unable to extricate the adult male driver.  After arriving on scene SFD personnel subsequently extricated the driver from the Subaru.  SFD medics transported both the driver and young girl to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. 

The driver and sole occupant of the suspect vehicle, a male in his 40’s, was also transported to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.  Both the second Subaru and the Volvo’s occupants were not injured as a result of the collisions and both vehicles were able to be driven from the scene.  The driver and sole occupant of the Dodge pickup truck, a male in his 40’s, sustained minor injuries not requiring transport.  He was treated and released at the scene by SFD medics.  

Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.  There were no citations issued at the scene, which is standard procedure in serious traffic collisions requiring extensive follow-up investigation and collision reconstruction.

15th Avenue NW is completely shut down from NW 75th Street to NW 70th Street while officers and detectives conduct their on-scene investigation.  The road is estimated to be back open at approximately 11:30 p.m.

The Seattle Police Department would like to commend those citizens who courageously and selflessly put themselves in danger to help those in need.