West Seattle, Washington
28 Monday
6:59 PM: We’re getting questions about a big police response near 35th/Avalon. The initial report to which they responded was that a man was seen with a ‘sawed-off shotgun’ but they are still trying to track down the source of that report to verify it. Avoid the area in the meantime.
7:11 PM: No verification on that, ultimately, so police have moved on.
Some of them headed to 57th/Alki after an officer pulled over a vehicle that was reported to dispatch as having plates from a potentially stolen vehicle. They’re investigating. That kind of call – with a possible felony involved – requires backup, so that’s what the big response was about.
(October 2017 photo by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
A year and a half ago, that was the scene in Admiral before police arrested Kierra M. Ward, 27, after she attacked a woman who was walking along the street with her baby. Today, the case against Ward was resolved with a ruling that she was not guilty by reason of insanity, and she has been committed to Western State Hospital. Ward had been charged with two counts of assault – first degree for attacking the mother (who was seriously hurt; her baby was unharmed) and second degree for threatening a man who came to the victim’s rescue. Last July, Ward was found not competent to stand trial and sent to Western State Hospital for attempted restoration of competency; in December, we reported, she was found competent, and her lawyer indicated the insanity defense would be pursued. With today’s ruling, according to court documents, Ward acknowledges committing the crimes but is acquitted because, the court finds, she “was insane at the time of the commission of the act(s) charged.” The order finds that “detention in a state mental hospital” is called for because she is a danger to herself and others. What the documents don’t say is how long that commitment might last or what the criteria would be for its end, so we’ll be following up.
(WSB photo)
If you drove by American Legion Post 160 in The Triangle this evening and noticed SPD and yellow tape – here’s what brought them there: A case of flag-burning. We found out from a texted tip (thank you); the tipster said the Ladder 11 crew from Station 32 across the street had not only extinguished the fire, they had quickly donated a flag to replace the one that had been burned, and sent this photo:
When we arrived, police were getting ready to leave; we talked to the Station 32 crew, and to Post 160 commander Keith Hughes. He told us the flag was ignited by a man who’s been helping out around the Post for a while in exchange for permission to sleep on the porch. He does a variety of odd jobs and has been very helpful, Hughes said. But today, he took down the flag that flies outside Post 160 – then put it up again, brought it down again, and then for unknown reasons, set it on fire. That brought SFD – you’ll see the “illegal burn” call on the Real-Time 911 log – and police. The suspect, meantime, took off and had not been found when we talked with officers at the scene. What remains of the burned flag is in this bag:
Hughes tells us they’ll keep it until their next scheduled flag-disposal ceremony.
26-year-old Keelan T. Malone, charged in a sexual assault and burglary near 13th/Roxbury almost a year ago, has been ordered to be sent back to Western State Hospital for attempted restoration of competency. We last updated his case in December, when he was found competent to stand trial after treatment at WSH, but since then, a new evaluation changed that assessment and led to the new order. Malone is due back in court in July. He is charged with burglary with sexual motivation and indecent liberties for one in a series of break-ins that terrified the neighborhood last year.
Police are in Lincoln Park investigating gunfire – reports that were called in to 911, and gunfire officers heard themselves while headed to check out those reports. Per radio dispatch, they’re looking for teenage suspects and at least one weapon, with multiple guns reported to have been fired. No report of injuries. A K9 team has been summoned to join the search. (added) An officer reported to dispatch that he found 9mm casings in a trash can at the park. (added) Now officers report finding an unspecified different type of casings. They also report having detained one person while seeking six more, described only as four males, two females.
Two thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
STOLEN BICYCLE: Kathleen hopes you will watch for this stolen bicycle:
She left the garage open for a little while around noon today in North Delridge – and a thief quickly made off with the bike, a white Univega. We are waiting to hear back on the police-report #, so in the meantime, let us know if you see it and we will connect you.
STOLEN VEHICLE TENT: Nick reports from Seaview, “I had a Cascade Vehicle Tent (CVT) Mt Shasta tent stolen off my truck last night. My truck was parked in front of my house. If anyone sees one for sale, please let me know.” SPD incident # is 19-157402.
That was the scene on Monday along SW Thistle by Chief Sealth International High School, after a hit-run driver struck a 16-year-old student, sending him to the hospital (WSB coverage here). At least one witness got a license-plate number that led police to Top Hat, where they arrested 29-year-old Carlos M. Villalovos on suspicion of DUI and hit-run. He’s been in jail ever since, and today the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed felony charges of vehicular assault, hit and run, and reckless driving. His bail is set at $302,000.
This isn’t Villalovos’s first DUI arrest, according to online records and the charging documents, which list one case in 2008 and two in 2016. In yet other traffic stops, prosecutors say, he was cited for violations including cell-phone use while driving, not having insurance, and driving with a suspended license. He also was found guilty last year of attempted vehicle trespass after a Burien incident in which he was described as acting aggressively, while intoxicated, toward a couple whose car he kept trying to get into. At the time of this week’s arrest, prosecutors say, warrants were out for Villalovos, related to his failure to appear for separate hearings last month in two prior DUI cases. Prosecutors called Villalovos “a grave danger to the community,” saying he’s apparently been through substance-abuse treatment and a “victim impact panel” yet refuses to stop driving while impaired.
On Monday, the probable-cause document says, when officers found Villalovos’s car before finding him, bottles of beer and hard lemonade were in clear evidence. His Honda CR-V also was reported to have damage consistent with what would have happened when the victim – who is reported to have suffered a broken pelvis – was hit. Police say Villalovos blew .16 – twice the legal threshold for DUI – three hours after the crash. We’ve looked up records from his past cases; in one of them, he was described as having blown .19. In another, when he was found driving without the ignition interlock he was under orders to use, he told officers he just used a screwdriver to start his car. His arraignment is set for May 15th.
The last stolen vehicle reported here on WSB was found by a reader. So let’s try another one:
The photo is from Angie:
My truck was stolen yesterday morning. Police report filed. Dark gray ‘98 Toyota Tacoma license B79399P. Taken from 12th Ave SW and Elmgrove early in the morning of 4/29.
Call 911 if you see it.
(WSB photos)
Tim and Lori McConnell at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) report, a bit wryly, that their store was broken into overnight:
Well, 5 1/2 years after our first burglary, seems we were due for another, and last night we got it.
Luckily this time the burglar(s) must have panicked due to our incredibly loud alarm, as they chose to steal a bunch of hoodies with our logo on the front, as well as a bunch of men’s short sleeve and long sleeve shirts, which also had our logo on the front.
Now I appreciate people shopping local and all, and if stealing our logo’ed merchandise was a way to help us advertise to offset our losses, well, I guess I appreciate that too. But they also took a bunch of men’s running shorts. And yes, men never have as many shorts as they should have, and they hang on to them way too long, but when they get new ones, the almost always pay for them, so this was disappointing.
Also disappointing, our GPS watch display was picked over. And by disappointing, I mean for the burglars. I now have to order a new Garmin dummy display watch to replace the one they took, and the Polar watch still in our display case is really lonely since they stole the box that it came in.
They also took 2 pairs of 8.5 Saucony women’s shoes, one regular width, one wide, I guess they weren’t sure of their size.
So be on the lookout for someone wearing a bunch of men’s apparel with our logo on it and a pair of women’s shoes, struggling to get their watch to work, they may know where our stuff went.
The door lock (top photo) is being replaced today.
The photo and report are from Kitty, who hopes you might be able to find her stolen car:
Have you seen Subie? Our 1984 Subaru GL 4WD wagon was stolen last night from North Admiral, at 44th and Seattle St. She’s got around 309,000 miles and is a daily driver. She’s part of the family at this point… Crystal Mountain and Alta stickers, plus the extra roof rack, make her stand out. Washington plates 746KNY.
If you see this car, call 911.
UPDATE: As you can see in comments below – Silvia spotted “Subie” and Kitty confirms they got it back!
1:55 PM: A Chief Sealth International High School student is being taken to the hospital, injured by a hit-run driver while crossing SW Thistle by the school. The injuries are not major, as the student is being transported by AMR instead of SFD medic unit. Westbound Thistle remains blocked right now; police are looking for what they describe as a “red Honda,” likely to have damage on the passenger side. If you have any information, call 911.
2:15 PM: The road has reopened. We have a request out to SFD for any available info on the student and their condition.
2:35 PM: SFD says the victim is a 16-year-old boy who was in stable condition when taken to the hospital.
2:44 PM: Police tell us they found the vehicle and arrested a suspect in Top Hat, in the 11000 block of 1st SW.
TUESDAY UPDATE: As Alex S. notes in a comment below, the driver was booked on suspicion of DUI and the jail docket shows a failure-to-appear on one prior case. We are checking further on the 29-year-old suspect’s history.
Thieves do this sometimes with cars, sometimes with bikes – steal one, leave another behind. That’s what happened to Jamie, who emailed us to report that this happened near 36th/Stevens: “My black Kona mountain bike was stolen from my garage. A dark green Cannondale was left in my yard. I have made a police report, but I’d love to get the Cannondale back to its owner and to get my bike back if possible.” Let us know in either case and we’ll connect you; we’ll also add Jamie’s report number when it’s available.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
LOOK FAMILIAR? LK spotted that dumped-and-likely-stolen bicycle in Arbor Heights. Let us know if it’s yours.
CAR PROWL: Amanda reports, “My car window was broken into between 4/24 10 PM and 4/25 6 AM. The entire window was smashed. The car was parked in a rear alley off Beach Drive. A red Sleepypod (pet carrier) was stolen. If anyone sees this around, it would be nice to get it back.”
HIT-RUN: It’s been a few weeks since this incident but Tom sent this in hopes someone has info:
On Friday afternoon 4/12/2019, my neighbor driving a gray Mazda CX5 was traveling north on Highland Park Way and making a left turn onto SW Holden when she was struck by a green Dodge Durango. The driver of the Durango sped away southbound on Highland when he almost struck another car. The Durango should have front end damage due to the hit and run. If you have any information, please contact the Seattle Police Department (2019-130096).
ORIGINAL REPORT: From Rachel:
Have you seen our truck? 1995 Nissan Truck. Purple/maroon with blue detailing on sides. Extended cab. Similar to one in picture (no rust on bumper). Stolen evening of 4/23 in North Admiral neighborhood. Washington license plate: B54139W
If you see it, call 911.
FRIDAY UPDATE: The stolen truck’s been found.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
MAILBOX BREAK-INS: The photo is from Mark in the 6700 block of Beach Drive. He reports: “Our mailbox was broken into by this gentleman Sunday morning, April 20th, at 4:15 am. About a half a dozen other neighbors reported their mailboxes broken into Sunday morning along Beach Drive.”
CAR BREAK-IN: This photo and report are from Omie:
“My car was broken into between 5 and 5:15 p.m. (Monday) … parked at 42nd and Oregon streets. I found my rear window smashed and backpack stolen.”
REMINDER: You can hear updates from, and talk with, local police at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting (6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct, 2300 SW Webster).
Two gunfire investigations in the past 12 hours:
WHITE CENTER: Thanks for all the tips on this afternoon’s 16th SW gunfire. Deputies say people in two vehicles exchanged gunfire, both missing but hitting a third, the minivan in our photo above. No injuries. We’re updating the story on our partner site White Center Now.
WEST SEATTLE: Though we were on the desk until 4:30 am, we didn’t hear anything about this until an email question at midday about gunfire heard around 3 am. Checking the SPD automated Tweets by Beats, we found a call categorized as “drive-by shooting/no injuries” in the Fauntleroy/Edmunds vicinity about that time. No further details.
From Tricia:
Have you seen my car?? License plate ADZ3128. Stolen Silver Volvo XC90, taken from 45th/Lander yesterday.
If you see it, call 911.
Thanks for the tip about a police search tonight north of The Junction. The tipster reported that “two men in their 20s were robbed at gunpoint at about 8:20 pm by two others, also in their 20s. A victim knocked on my door to call 911. … Apparently phones were stolen.” We went to the search area (41st/42nd/Dakota/Bradford) but police there wouldn’t comment on the circumstances, sowe went to the precinct where the desk officer confirmed the search was related to a street robbery and that the robbers were after phones. No injuries reported, and so far no word of arrests, but we’ll follow up tomorrow.
The Seattle Police portable observation tower that drew a mixed reception elsewhere in the city will be deployed in West Seattle.
That’s what Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis told the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting last night.
The tower recently turned up in a Rainier Valley supermarket parking lot, but not for long. In West Seattle, police intend to use it in the expansive parking lots at Westwood Village and the Delridge Home Depot – both hot spots for theft, with strong-arm robberies also a problem at the former. Capt. Davis said the tower, sold as SkyWatch, will be backed by emphasis teams on the ground including the bicycle squad. No time frame yet.
Also at the lightly attended (five members of the general public) meeting:
For the second time this week, we’ve received a reader report of a car prowler getting away with golf equipment. This report is from Danielle:
I wanted to report that car prowler got into my husband’s car early Sunday morning —sometime between 1a and 7a parked in front of our home in Westwood. The prowler tried to steal our car, but apparently can’t drive a manual… so settled for stealing my husband golf clubs (an amassed collection Ping G30s, some Titleist, a couple of TaylorMade, and an old Karsten from his grandpa – who passed) in a beige Adams golf bag. They’re more sentimental value than anything, but would love and appreciate it if people could be on the lookout for the clubs, maybe abandoned somewhere.
And one more reminder that, as featured in the daily list, you can talk with/hear from local police at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).
3:58 PM: If you’ve noticed the police response in The Junction – they’re investigating what was initially described in radio communication as a robbery or attempted robbery at HomeStreet Bank (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor). They’re looking for a suspect described as having headed north up the alley north of the bank, a white man in his 30s, buzzcut hair, about 6’2″, thin build, gray hooded sweatshirt with green/white lettering or emblem, blue or black bandanna, jeans. A K9 is helping police search.
4:03 PM: Radio communication indicates money was taken, so this was a robbery. First bank robbery/attempted robbery in our area in almost two years, according to our archives.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
EARLY-MORNING CAR PROWLER: From Barbara:
Caught a thief going through our car on Rutan Place near the Junction at 5:00 this morning. He was into the trunk after going through all the interior boxes. Looks like the losses were some tools plus $200-300 in gift cards, maybe a house key. Husband says he is white, in his twenties, about 6’2″, 200 lb, dark short hair, brown jacket, jeans, with a large cross shoulder bag “like an old mail carrier style.” Dog barked, husband chased E on Edmunds but lost him. Keep your cars locked.
STOLEN-BIKE REUNION: Last night, we published Val‘s report of finding an abandoned (which usually means stolen-and-dumped) bicycle. Tonight we heard from the bike’s owner, who recognized the photo Val had shared showing its distinct wheel; we’ve connected them, and a reunion ensued. The bike had been stolen sometime overnight Friday into Saturday, just hours before it turned up in Val’s yard.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports tonight:
RECOGNIZE THAT BIKE WHEEL? Val‘s yard is where that bicycle turned up this morning – dumped and likely stolen. Val sent the photo of the wheel and says that’s distinctive enough that the rightful owner should recognize it and be able to describe the rest of the bike; if it’s yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
SLASHED TIRE: This photo and report are from Hilari:
Just wanted to let you know that one of our tires was slashed between 4/5 and 4/7 on 14th and Kenyon in Highland Park. We were on vacation, and our neighbors noticed and sent us a picture. We assumed a flat, but when we took it to the dealer, they said it had been slashed. We filed a police report online.
THE CASE OF THE STOLEN PET FOOD: Paul tells the tale (tail?):
At around 4 a.m. on April 13, two thieves stole 245 lbs. of goods off the porch of a home in West Seattle.
“I wish I could have watched the faces of the two cat burglars as they opened up the boxes with their stolen treasure,” said Marti, who lives at the home. “It was cat and dog food. To the early morning intruders: Bon Appetit.”
Marti continued, “The cat and dog food was intended for pets of homeless and low-income people. A clinic is held twice a month at the Union Gospel Mission in Pioneer Square, (Doney-Coe Pet Clinic) that distributes the pet food. Volunteer veterinarians also administer free vaccinations and treats cats and dogs for injuries.”
Reminder – if you have community crime/safety concerns to bring directly to local police, your monthly chance to do that is coming up this Tuesday, April 16th – the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct, 7 pm, all welcome.
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