“Make the right call and choose a safe ride home this weekend,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Before your party begins, designate a sober driver, ride the bus or take a cab.” 

Half of all traffic deaths in the State of Washington on Super Bowl evening have involved an impaired driver.  Since 2009, 191 people have been arrested for DUI on Super Bowl Sunday in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. 

“We want to get the word out so people can make safe choices this Sunday,” said John Cheesman, Chief of the Fircrest Police Department and Chairman of the Tacoma Pierce County DUI & Traffic Safety Task Force. “Watching the Super Bowl and all the commercials is a lot of fun, but when the game is over, fans who have been drinking need to make sure they don’t get behind the wheel.” 

Target Zero Teams work to prevent and arrest impaired drivers.  Target Zero Teams include officers and troopers from the following law enforcement agencies: Arlington, Auburn, Bellevue, Brier, Bothell, Edmonds, Everett, Federal Way, Granite Falls, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Stevens, Lakewood, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Monroe, Mukilteo, Newcastle, Puyallup, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tacoma, University Place, and the Tulalip Tribal Police Departments, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Liquor Control Board and the Washington State Patrol. 

Extra patrols are coordinated by Target Zero Managers in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, with support from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.  This work is part of an on-going partnership with law enforcement, public health and the community to reach the Washington State Target Zero goal of eliminating all fatal and serious injury crashes by 2030.

The Seattle Police Department will field an extra-staffed DUI Squad for the Target Zero DUI emphasis patrols on Super Bowl Sunday.  Our goal is to improve traffic safety by detecting and removing impaired drivers from the roadway.  We encourage all drivers to exercise prudence in regards to their alcohol consumption. 

Nationwide, motor vehicle collisions are the number one cause of death for Americans between the ages of three and 34 – about one-third of these fatalities are caused by drunk drivers.  On average, someone is killed in an alcohol-related motor vehicle collision every 51 minutes.

Be mindful of your alcohol consumption and celebrate responsibly.  If you are going out and planning to drink, have a designated driver.  If you cannot arrange to have a designated driver, call a cab or a friend.  The consequences of driving while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs can be life altering.

Once the suspect was placed in handcuffs responding officers turned their attention to the victim officer. He was unconscious and had obvious facial injuries. Seattle Fire Medics responded and treated the victim officer on scene. He was then transported to Harborview Medical Center where he was admitted.

According to witnesses and Century Link Staff, the suspect and a female were sitting in seats that did not belong to them.   A staff member contacted the suspect and the suspect became belligerent and confrontational. The victim officer intervened and the suspect was also belligerent and confrontational with the officer. The Staff then advised the suspect that he was being ejected from the stadium. The officer then attempted to escort the suspect from the stadium when the suspect turned and struck the officer in the chest with a closed fist.

The officer and suspect got into a tussle at which point the suspect rammed the officer into a cement wall along the side of the tunnel. The officer struck his head and fell to the ground. The suspect then continued to strike the officer while the officer was down on the ground. Witnesses stated that the suspect struck the officer 3 times in the head. One witness said that the officer was knocked unconscious. Fans stepped in and restrained the suspect until responding officers arrived.

The suspect was arrested and booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Assault.

Year-to-date, Major Crimes are down citywide by 5% when compared with the first ten months of 2010.  This continues the downward crime trend that occurred citywide in 2010. 

Through October of 2011, Violent Crimes are up 3% compared with the same time period in 2010, with robberies and homicides trending down, and rapes and aggravated assaults showing an increase.

Property Crimes are down 5% across the city in the first ten months of 2011 when compared with the same time period in 2010.  Vehicle thefts and larceny/thefts are trending down while burglaries are up by 4%. 

For more information and details see the below links:

http://www.seattle.gov/police/crime/stats.htm 

http://www.seattle.gov/police/crime/11_Stats/2011_Major_Crimes.pdf

On Danny Vega’s passing

Yesterday, I learned that Danny Vega, a beloved member of Seattle’s Filipino Community and business owner in the Rainier Valley, died from injuries sustained during an attack on the evening of November 15.

Danny was well known for his service to the community. He was a regular volunteer at the Filipino Community Center, most recently helping with the 76th Anniversary of the Filipino Community in Seattle event on November 5. At his salon, he was known for his creative styles and his friendly manner. He was active in Seattle’s LGBT community, including his participation in the Miss FCS Gay and Miss Asian Gay pageants.

Danny Vega was going for a walk in his neighborhood when he was attacked by three African-American males who were approximately 18 years old. The suspects stole several items and then fled the area, according to evidence gathered by our police department. Mr. Vega was able to walk home and call police. Our fire department also responded, transporting him to Harborview Medical Center with life threatening injuries. Mr. Vega soon slipped into a coma. He died of his injuries yesterday.

Our police department’s Homicide and Assault Unit are actively investigating this crime. Some have suggested that Mr. Vega’s killers targeted him because he was an openly gay man. The police department is fully investigating this possibility.  Anyone with any information about Mr. Vega’s killers should call police at 206-233-5000. Anonymous calls are welcome. My condolences go to his family, his friends, and those in the community who knew him.

On-street parking is free on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, but drivers must pay for parking on Friday, November 25, and observe time limits and other posted regulations as on any other Friday.  Paid on-street parking ensures that drivers limit the time they occupy parking spaces, making these spaces available to more customers. Access to commercial areas is particularly important on the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The City wants to ensure that as many people as possible are able to find on-street parking near their destinations. 

In addition, the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Washington State Department of Transportation, downtown parking operators and others are providing a parking program called Your Spot is Here during replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and seawall. The goal is to help local businesses by encouraging shoppers to visit Pioneer Square and the downtown waterfront. On the Your Spot is Here Web site the public can find discounts, coupons and promotions from businesses and merchants, a list of special events, and the location of affordable parking in the Pioneer Square and waterfront areas. Downtown visitors may also refer to the EPark Web site and may follow E-Park signs to find off-street parking.

Downtown shoppers are also encouraged to park at the City of Seattle’s Pacific Place Garage where the first hour of parking is $3 and where evening rates are capped at $6 after 5 p.m.

              CAO to dismiss assault charge against SPD Officer James Lee

Taking into account information that only recently came to light, the City will dismiss a misdemeanor assault charge against SPD Officer James J. Lee, City Attorney Pete Holmes said Wednesday.

Lee had been facing trial in January in Seattle Municipal Court in connection with the Oct. 18, 2010 arrest of a 17-year-old male inside a downtown convenience store after Seattle police had been attacked nearby during a narcotics buy-bust operation.

At the request of Police Chief John Diaz, the Washington State Patrol independently investigated the case and forwarded its conclusions to CAO’s Criminal Division. When determining whether Lee’s use of force was reasonable under the circumstances, the Criminal Division relied on the State Patrol investigation, which included an expert opinion by Robert Bragg of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. In preparing his opinion, Bragg reviewed the related police reports, witness statements, audio recordings and visual recordings.  SPD did not provide Bragg with Lee’s “use of force” statement, which was prepared as a result of the department’s separate and internal investigation. 

Without reviewing Lee’s statement, Bragg had previously opined: “Using the facts currently available to me and viewed in the light most favorable to Officer Lee, the force used to apprehend Suspect [D’Vontaveous] Hoston was reasonable and necessary as well as within the teachings of the Criminal Justice Training Commission except for the 3^rd and final kick delivered to Suspect Hoston’s head.” Because Bragg concluded that the third kick was not reasonable and necessary, the Criminal Division filed the assault charge against Lee.

Lee’s use-of-force statement was unavailable to Bragg because under the so-called “Garrity rule,” named after a U.S. Supreme Court decision (Garrity v. New Jersey, 385 U.S. 493 (1967)), SPD may compel an officer to make a statement even if the officer invokes his right against self-incrimination. Statements made after invoking Garrity may be used for internal police purposes, including discipline, but not for a criminal prosecution.

After the charge against Lee had been pending for several months, Criminal Division attorneys reached an agreement with the officer’s defense attorney to provide the use-of-force statement to the prosecution’s expert witness.  On Nov. 11, Bragg was supplied additional information by the defense, including Lee’s Garrity statement.  As a result of that review, Bragg issued a supplemental opinion on Nov. 21, as follows:  “In short, and using the additional evidence viewed in the light most favorable to Officer Lee, I now believe that the force in question, the third and final kick, used to control Suspect D’Vontaveous Hoston was reasonable and within the teachings of the Criminal Justice Training Commission (albeit not the best tactic available).”

“As I stated in connection with the initial charging decision,” Holmes said Wednesday, “we understand that our police officers have a dangerous job. They are thus permitted the legal ability to use reasonable force in apprehending people suspected of having committed a crime. When the force used is not reasonable under the circumstances, the officer must be held accountable.”

“Now that our expert witness has changed his opinion, the interests of justice require me to dismiss this charge. I appreciate the professional manner in which Office Lee and his defense counsel cooperated in our good-faith investigation of this matter,” Holmes concluded.

Seattle Municipal Code

Chapter 12A.06 – Offenses Against Persons

SMC 12A.06.010 Assault.

A person is guilty of assault when he or she: A. Intentionally assaults another person; or B. (1) Knowingly operates or knowingly is in actual physical control of a vehicle; and (2) while doing so commits any act defined as an infraction under Title 11, Seattle Municipal Code or Title 46, Revised Code of Washington; and (3) such conduct is a proximate cause of death, great bodily harm or substantial bodily harm to another. As used in this Subsection B,”great bodily harm” and “substantial bodily harm” have the same meanings as in RCW 9A.04.110, as that statute now exists or may hereafter be amended,and “vehicle” has the same meaning as in SMC 11.14.710. This Subsection B is intended to protect the public welfare. No mens rea element that is not specifically stated in this Subsection B shall be inferred or required.

Prosecution or punishment under this Subsection B shall not preclude separate prosecution or punishment for any other crime.

It is a critical mission for the department to protect people’s rights to demonstrate.  This includes providing traffic control and general police services to keep the peace.  It is equally important that people feel safe coming downtown to shop, dine or participate in one of the many holiday traditions that Seattle has to offer. 

To those wishing to commit crimes, know that your behavior will not be tolerated.  Vandalism, theft and assaulting our officers are among the offenses that will result in arrest.

The additional uniformed officers are deployed downtown for everyone’s benefit.  Whether your goal is to demonstrate for economic reform or to shop for the holidays, if you see uniformed officers out and about, please take the time to say hello.

The estimated total turnout was approximately 600 people.  There was a rally on University Bridge in which vehicular traffic was shut down for the duration.

The Seattle Police Department provided traffic control and ensured public safety for all involved.

Year-to-date, Major Crimes are down citywide by 6% when compared with the first nine months of 2010.  This continues the downward crime trend that occurred citywide in 2010.  Through September of 2011, Violent Crimes are up 1% compared with the same time period in 2010, with robberies and homicides trending down, and rapes and aggravated assaults showing an increase. 

Property Crimes are down 7% across the city in the first nine months of 2011, when compared with the same time period in 2010.  Vehicle thefts and larceny/thefts are trending down while burglaries are up slightly. 

For more information about crime in Seattle, go to: http://www.seattle.gov/police/crime/stats.htm