Seattle man killed on Kent’s Benson Highway
A 58-year-old Seattle man was struck and killed by a small pickup truck as he tried to cross the Benson Highway at about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday in the Panther Lake area of unincorporated Kent.
Maximiliano Diaz-Salazar was not in a crosswalk when he was struck by a vehicle as he attempted to go from east to west across the northbound lanes near the 22000 block of the five-lane highway, said Dan McDonald, spokesman for the Washington State Patrol.
“The cause of the crash was a pedestrian jumping out in the middle of the road and he didn’t see the car,” McDonald said in a phone interview Thursday.
A 43-year-old Kent woman, the driver of the 2000 Toyota pickup, told the State Patrol that she had no time to react once she saw the man crossing the street, also known as State Route 515 and 108th Avenue Southeast.
This marks the second pedestrian-car accident in the last seven weeks along the similar section of the Benson Highway, where posted speeds are 40 mph. A 22-year-old Kent woman was injured by a car at about 5 a.m. Oct. 27 when she tried to cross in the 22400 block of the highway to catch a bus. The woman was not in a crosswalk.
She was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of serious injuries, and has since been released.
“It’s not illegal but you need to yield the right of way (to a vehicle),” McDonald said about pedestrians crossing a street while not in a crosswalk.
Kent fire officials recommended in the press release that pedestrians should use a crosswalk while crossing any street, especially at night when visibility is reduced.
In the Wednesday night accident, Kent Fire Department and King County Medic One emergency crews found the man lying unconscious and unresponsive in the road and were unable to revive him, according to a Kent Fire Department media release.
The driver told investigators that she saw a sports-utility vehicle in the right lane as she traveled in the left lane and that the man apparently waited for the SUV to pass before he darted out in the road.
Investigators did not know where the man had planned to go as he attempted to cross the highway. There are several bus stops in the area.
It is up the state Department of Transportation to determine whether the Benson Highway needs any safety improvements near where the pedestrian-car accidents occurred, McDonald said.
“There’s a lot that goes into installing a crosswalk,” McDonald said. “You can’t just put one in the middle of a road if it’s one that drivers can’t see very well.”
Jamie Holter, spokeswoman for the state DOT, said traffic officials have looked at the history of accidents along that section of the Benson Highway, but she was still trying to track down traffic planners Thursday to see if there are any proposals to improve pedestrian safety along the street.
That section of the highway will become part of the city of Kent in July because of the Panther Lake annexations approved by voters in November.
“What happens might be up to Kent,” Holter said in a phone interview Thursday morning. “Or maybe if we start something Kent takes it over.”
We post stories of this nature to show the general public how often they happen and to remind those who have been the unfortunate ones to have been injured or to lose a family member that compensation is possible. Contact our personal injury lawyers for a free consultation today.
2 Injured in SR 2 Crash Near Snohomish
Two people were injured in a collision on State Route 2 on Tuesday evening.
Trooper Keith Leary said a car headed east crossed the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle at 88th Street at approximately 7:36 p.m.
One driver was taken to Providence Hospital – Colby Campus with serious injuries. The other was also taken with non-life threatening injuries, Leary said. Their conditions were not immediately available.
The cause of the crash has not been determined, and the roadway was to be closed for several hours for investigation.
Traffic was being detoured at 88th Street.
If you have been injured in any part of the State of Washington in a car accident you may contact our car accident attorneys for a free initial consultation.
Police: Drunken Driver Causes 6-Car Crash
A Hingham woman was drunk and under the influence of drugs when she triggered a six-car accident on Washington Street and drove in to the front of a tire store, police said.
Hayley Damp kept her foot on the gas pedal even after her SUV crashed into Brilliant Tire at about 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, police said. A passer-by saw the tires of her vehicle spinning and smoking and reached in the window to turn the engine off, police said.
Damp, 31, of 98 Kilby St., was taken to Quincy Medical Center after the crash, then brought back to the Quincy police station where she was booked on charges of drunken driving, driving under the influence of drugs and reckless driving.
Patrolman Bruce Tait was the first officer to arrive at the accident scene and wrote in his report that vehicles littered both sides of the road.
Man Dies in Multi Vehicle Seattle Car Crash
A man was killed in a crash on Interstate 5 in south Seattle Sunday shortly after 2:30 a.m., the news tribune has reported.
He was a passenger in a disabled 1996 Ford bus filled with party-goers that was parked on the right shoulder of the freeway at the Boeing Access Road.
He got out of the bus and was attempting to make repairs. A southbound 2002 Ford pickup driven by a 39-year-old California man struck him and the bus. He died at the scene of the accident.
A southbound 2001 Kia Sephia driven by a 37-year-old Federal Way man then struck the pickup from behind.
The drivers of the pickup and the Kia were both transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with injuries. A 50-year-old Federal Way woman who was a passenger in the Kia was also injured and transported to the hospital.
KOMO-TV is reporting that the patrol said two people were critically injured in the accident.
The patrol said the 34-year-old bus driver from Renton was not hurt. Six additional bus passengers were treated for minor injuries.
Two southbound lanes of I-5 were closed after the crash. The accident is under investigation by the patrol for possible criminal charges including vehicular homicide.
The patrol reported that alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Everett, Washington you may be entitled to financial compensation. If you are the insurance company will likely offer you a sum, however you should NOT accept this offer; you can always get more. This is done with the help of a Everett car accident lawyer, who has experience dealing with insurance companies.
When looking for a lawyer in Washington you will find there are hundreds if not thousands of car accident lawyers offering services in Everett. If you choose our Everett car accident lawyers to represent you may contact us for a free consultation at a time and place of your convenience.
Don’t be a victim of a Everett car accident! Contact our Everett car accident attorneys today!
Elk Causes WA Car Accident,
The Washington State Patrol is investigating an accident involving a Lewis County sheriff’s deputy who hit an elk Monday night, King 5 reports. The Washington accident happened on Highway 12 near Packwood.
The deputies vehicle was severely damaged.
The state patrol could only confirm there had been an accident. The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office did not give any immediate details Monday night.
It has not been indicated whether or not the deputy was injured.
Washington Car Accidents
Washington car accidents can happen anywhere at any time. Whether you’re on your way home from work or are heading to a park for the weekend, you could be involved is a serious accident that may result in debilitating injuries, which could threaten your well-being and financial security. If this sounds like what has happened to you, a top Washington accident lawyer can help you more than you know. Car accident lawyers are good at proving to insurance companies you are owed financial compensation for your injuries.
Contact our Washington Car Accident Lawyers
If you choose our team of experienced WA auto accident lawyers visit our contacts page to arrange for a free consultation at a place and time of your conveniance.
One Man Killed, 3 Injured in Shelby Township Seattle Car Accident
Police say speeding may be to blame for a car accident that left one passenger dead and three others wounded in the early morning hours of Aug. 2.
Kevin Michael Declerck, 23, of Macomb Township was riding shotgun in his friend’s car when the driver lost control, flew off the road and crashed into a row of boulders on the front lawn of residential property near Mt. Vernon and 26 Mile Road, on the border of Shelby and Washington townships, around 2 a.m. Aug. 2.
The driver and two backseat passengers were able to escape the vehicle before it burst into flames. Once they realized Declerck was unconscious and still inside, the trio tried to pull him from the wreckage but had to retreat as the fire became too intense, said Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel.
Shelby Township fire and police personnel responded immediately, extinguished the fire and found Declerck deceased in the front passenger seat. The three surviving passengers — two from Macomb Township and one from Shelby — were transported to local hospitals, where they were treated for a variety of serious injuries, Hackel continued.
All four passengers were 23-year-old males.
“We don’t believe the driver was under the influence of alcohol; however, we are testing for the presence of other substances,” Hackel said.
Testing for narcotics or other substances is standard practice when investigating a fatal car accident. No citations have been issued, but Hackel said there is a “likelihood that charges will be forthcoming for the driver.”
The accident is still under investigation.
“The driver was apparently heading westbound on 26 Mile,” the sheriff explained. “According to his own statements, he was traveling at a very high rate of speed.”
Police reported that the vehicle was traveling so fast that the vehicle became airborne before crashing into the trees and flipping onto its side.
The collision sent a one-ton boulder from the residential landscaping rolling into a nearby wooded area, Hackel added.
Due to the height of flames from the car wreckage, trees in the vicinity were left charred. The home was not damaged, but Hackel said the landscaping is ruined.
No other vehicles were involved.
Looking for a Car Accident Lawyer in Shelby Township?
The Kornfeld Law Firm has been handling Shelby Township and other Seattle Areas personal injury cases for years. To contact our Shelby Township Seattle Car Accident Lawyers visit our contacts page.
Washington Car Accident Injuries Reported
Four injured when two cars collide in Washington
Four people were injured in a two-car accident Friday on Highway 28, near Rock Island, about eight miles east of East Wenatchee.
All were transported to Central Washington Hospital for neck and back pain, according to a State Patrol report. They are Cheryl L. Wood, 54, of Newport, who was driving a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid; and three passengers in her car, who are all from Spokane: Linda J. Tieaskie, 64; Joshua A. McCoy, 28; and Link Y. Miles, 46.
Troopers said the accident happened at about 12:15 p.m. at the intersection of the highway and Rock Island Drive. A 2006 Honda Accord, driven by Eugene P. Doyl, 66, of Rock Island, was eastbound in the left-turn lane to Rock Island Drive. Wood’s Malibu was heading west on Highway 28. According to the State Patrol report, Doyl turned his vehicle into Wood’s.
Doyl was not injured, according to the State Patrol, but his Accord was totaled, as was Wood’s.
Will a Washington Car Accident Settlement be Awarded here?
In a case like this a Washington car accident lawyer is of essence. 4 people were injured, due to anthers fault or negligence and any good Washington personal injury lawyer will get Woods here the settlement he deserves. That is, of course, if he files the claim first.
Motor Vehicle Auto Accidents
Generally speaking when one is in an accident involving a motor vehicle, there are certain rules of thumb to follow:
- Do not give a recorded or written statement.
- Take pictures. Take photographs of the property damage and have them developed at once. Do not use a Polaroid.
- Do Not Sign Anything Without a Lawyer Reviewing it for You, First!
- Do not discuss any matters concerning your injuries with the at-fault insurance company. You are under no obligation to give this information and should discuss nothing but the damage to your car and the need for a rental car or “loss of use” compensation. Beware of the clever insurance adjuster.
