West Seattle, Washington
23 Friday
That’s the stolen-then-recovered West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole, which we photographed a short time ago at the Parks Department facility – we agreed not to identify the location – where it’s now being kept, after a trip “home” from Oregon over the weekend. (Thanks to the tipster who gave us the heads up it had been picked up and driven back to Seattle.) Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter says it “will stay at our facility until Parks has formulated a plan for inspection, needed repairs if any, and re-installation of the totem. There may be a need to wait until the turf recovers before we allow another heavy truck at the site.” She also says a local firm that often helps with the city’s art collection has offered to help with the reinstallation, and Parks is mulling the offer; meantime, the Rotary Club of West Seattle, which donated the pole and the park to the city in 1976, has a fund going too (you can donate here). As for the mystery pole found along with this one, after the theft suspect told police where to look following his arrest last Wednesday, Potter says it’s being turned over to the SPD evidence unit. (No new information yet today from police/prosecutors regarding the case/potential charges; if you’re just catching up with this story, all the background links are in the first part of this update.) 4:50 PM NOTE: Just verified, the case is not yet in the hands of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, so no charges yet.
In a comment following another Crime Watch report from earlier this morning, “WSN Helen” reported a break-in/theft at West Seattle Nursery over the weekend:
A heads up to anyone that receives a black marble bench or a floral table and chairs patio set for Christmas or knows someone selling them – West Seattle Nursery was broken into on Saturday night and had these pieces of yard art stolen. This is stolen merchandise and not a kind gift!!
We went down to WSN to find out more; they told us the stolen bench is similar to the one shown in the photo above. The break-in happened sometime after they closed Saturday night at 8; someone got in through the back fence, and in addition to the items that were mentioned, also took “some religious statuary.” The value of the stolen items so far totals about $700, though they are still checking to see what else might be missing.
One other break-in report from over the weekend – if you are in the High Point area, you might have seen flyers about this (thanks to Marco for reporting the flyer sighting) – the e-mail is from Dave, who’s near 34th/Myrtle (map):
On Thursday night thieves smashed in our door and ransacked the house. The couch and beds were overturned, and every drawer emptied on the floor. After the mess was cleaned up, the current tally is a Toshiba laptop, red iPod Nano, 70mm Nikon FE2 camera, and a 50s era 28mm Kodak Retina camera. They also stole an Omega watch and some heirloom jewelry that has been in the family for generations and has more sentimental than financial value.
The next day, I went asking around the neighborhood to see if anyone had heard or seen anything. Some items were found at the HighPoint Community Center men’s room, and other objects were found outside.
On a Coen Brothers-esque note, also found at the assumed time of robbery were three crates of kale, collard greens and mustard greens, abandoned on the parking strip. Their connection to the crime is still unknown.
TOTEM POLE NOTE: For everyone awaiting updates in the saga of the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole, stolen two weeks ago tonight, here’s where it stands as we start the new week: As of the close of business Friday, charges against the suspect, arrested last Wednesday, had not yet been filed. The totem pole — found in Oregon Thursday — also had not yet been returned to Seattle; we spoke with Josh Sutton from the Rotary Club of West Seattle over the weekend – they had no new updates on its status. We’ll be checking in with Parks, police and prosecutors again today. The Rotary, meantime, is taking donations for the Totem Pole Restoration Fund, so it can be ceremoniously reinstalled – go here to help. 10:56 AM UPDATE: Just received, and confirmed, a tip that the totem pole actually is back in Seattle, in Parks Department “custody.” Will publish a separate item with more details soon.
(back to original 4:21 am report) STOLEN CAR: Via Facebook, Kim wants you to be on the lookout for the pickup stolen from her home Saturday night – 1995 Nissan Extended Cab, teal green, with canopy, license B61774A. (We don’t have info yet on what neighborhood – awaiting reply to the followup question. 10:57 AM UPDATE – Seaview, near 44th/Findlay.)
Meantime, the latest in an ongoing case of serial vandalism:
GRAFFITI SCRUBBED: A WSB’er who wants to remain anonymous photographed six incidences of the notorious “homophobic graffiti” vandalism along Admiral on Sunday afternoon before cleaning it up and reported it to police, with the photos. (We’ve blurred it out in the one above, which was black lettering on a retaining wall; the other five places it was marked/painted included road signs and signpoles and a bus-schedule sign.) Our tipster often “patrols” that area for vandalism; last week was the first time we’d heard of the happening beyond the area where the vandal’s struck repeatedly before. As previously reported here, police continue looking for the man who was arrested and charged earlier this year, though the charges were dropped when he was deemed incompetent to stand trial. And they want to hear from you about any graffiti vandalism you spot (206-625-5011 is the non-emergency number if it’s not in progress), not just this type (and if you plan to clean it up/paint it out, be sure to photograph it first).
If you haven’t seen it on partner site White Center Now already – here’s the link to the story we published this morning from last night’s South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition meeting, including the monthly crime stats from the area, and farewell to the group’s last paid staffer.
(scroll down – we’re continuing to add elements as this story develops)
(Photo added 11:05 am – the recovered poles in Oregon)
As reported here late yesterday, police arrested a West Seattle man in connection with the theft of the 18′ totem pole from Rotary Viewpoint Park, which we first told you about last Thursday morning. When we reported that the suspect was in custody, police had just made the arrest and hadn’t yet figured out where the stolen pole was; this morning, they know. Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen tells WSB that after extensive questioning, the suspect told them where it was: The Salem, Oregon, area. And Lt. Paulsen says police there already “have it in custody on a trailer in an impound lot” – he says it’s reported to be in good shape and does not appear to be damaged. Now they’re coordinating with the Parks Department to figure out how and when to bring it back here. Plus, Lt. Paulsen says, they “recovered another totem pole but can’t figure out where the other one belongs yet.” They also will be investigating whether the suspect is in possession of any other stolen property. We’re not identifying the suspect yet because (to our knowledge) charges are not yet filed – we can tell you he is a 69-year-old North Admiral resident, and the house where the crane driver said last weekend that he’d dropped it off is in the Lake Sawyer area. We didn’t publish this last weekend because no arrest had been made, but here’s a photo we took as the two sleuthing Rotarians (left and right) and the crane-truck driver went to knock on that house’s door last Saturday – note the Santa hat, left over from the Rotary’s Christmas Shopping Spree hours earlier:
Stay tuned for more followups. The Rotary Club of West Seattle, meantime, which donated the park and the pole to the city in 1976 – and made its own inquiries to try to help track down the pole (as detailed here) – tells us they’re working on coordinating an event for the pole’s return. 11:07 AM UPDATE: Adding photos provided by police (one above, one below), showing the recovered Rotary pole (and its mystery companion) in Oregon.
12:06 PM UPDATE: Just checked with Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter to see if there’s any info yet on their side regarding plans for the pole’s return. She says, “It’s my understanding that the pole will be in police custody as evidence for some amount of time (no clue yet how long that will be). … We’re all for a celebratory event to welcome the pole back to the people when the time is right.” 12:28 PM UPDATE: For the latest on Rotary’s plans on helping that happen, we just talked to past president Josh Sutton on camera at the viewpoint park – he explains how your help will be important:
(The website he mentions is westseattlerotary.org.) He added, “Rotary’s owned this totem pole in our hearts for a long time, but West Seattle owns this totem pole and we’re committed to getting it back to the folks of West Seattle in great shape.”
1:41 PM UPDATE: Just drove by the park and spotted Rotary sleuths Duane and Kenny being interviewed by KING5 – we didn’t park in time to get the photo op but did talk to Duane, who says he’s glad that Seattle Police have gone to great lengths to find the totem pole, and he’s now hopeful that prosecutors will go the extra mile to make sure justice is served. And one more note – just talked again with Josh Sutton, who says you can NOW donate through the Rotary website to pay for getting the pole back in place, with a community event, as soon as possible – he wants to stress, this is NOT meant to be in lieu of restitution from the suspect, but if and when the time comes that they get reimbursed that way, the money people have donated “will go to do good work in the West Seattle community.”
2:25 PM UPDATE: Answers to a couple followup questions we asked Lt. Paulsen at Southwest Precinct: 1. Will the crane truck driver face charges? Nothing’s final yet, but he notes that they are being very cooperative witnesses. 2. Is there a chance the stolen Tillicum Village storefront art work on Avalon (here’s our story from two months ago) is linked to all this? Too soon to say but Lt. Paulsen indicates they are actively investigating and more “recoveries” are possible.
Out of the WSB inbox (editor@westseattleblog.com), from Erin:
My husband went out to his work van at 4 am to find the driver side window smashed and close to $8000 worth of tools and wire stolen. We live in the 5600 block of 18th Ave [map]. The scum must have gotten spooked as the left a radio, tool bags and wire sitting in front of the van. We have already made a police report, but are hoping someone may have seen something.
The officer told us it’s been quiet in our neighborhood for a while. This is devastating as the tools are how my husband makes a living, and were paid for out of our pockets. If anyone saw or heard anything, we would really like to know.
I know what people will say: You are never supposed to leave anything visible in your vehicle. We never leave anything visible in our personal vehicles, but it is impossible to empty the work van every day and reload it at 3:30 a.m. He parks it so the side doors face the house, but it wasn’t enough to deter the criminals this time.
(WSB photo from December 2, the base where the totem pole used to be)
Just confirmed with Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen: Police have arrested a suspect in the theft of the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole. As first reported here Thursday morning, the pole disappeared early last week; we contacted the Parks Department on Wednesday after a WSB’er sent us a note saying her family noticed it was gone. After our inquiry, Parks did extensive checking, then verified on Thursday that no one had been authorized to take it, and so they reported the 18-foot totem pole – installed when the Rotary Club of West Seattle donated the park to the city in 1976 — as stolen. As the story unfolded, WSB commenters recalled seeing what turned out to be the actual removal Monday night of last week – the crane truck hired to take it got stuck in the grass and mud, and required help from a tow truck. We’re not identifying the suspect, a West Seattle man, as charges are not filed so far, but what we’ve been told seems to go along with the storyline reported here, after we covered Rotarians’ attempt to find out what happened. Police have not yet recovered the totem pole but are questioning the suspect and hope to be able to recover the pole soon. P.S. We had asked Parks and police earlier today if the totem pole had been assigned a dollar value, just out of curiosity – so far we don’t have a number, but Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter notes that the Belvidere story pole installed in 2006 was valued at more than $61,000. (Pre-theft totem-pole photo used with Rotary’s permission.)
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Joshua:
I live in a house with three friends on SW Charlestown St near the 7-11 gas station [map] and am currently out of town on business. I just received a phone call from my roommate saying that someone has broken into our house this evening and stolen a variety of things, mostly small and valuable: digital SLR, small stereo, jewelry, and etc… We are still waiting for the police to arrive and to file an official report, but please let this be notice to other West Seattle residents that this person may choose make this a trend in the area. As far as my roommate could tell, there are no signs of forced entry, even though all the doors were locked when she came home. The intruder *may* have come in through a window and, if so, maybe locked the door behind him/her.
You may have seen the TV reports — like this one — about an emotional court hearing Monday for a man accused of hit-and-run for the crash that killed 30-year-old Jerome Dumlao as he walked across a Belltown street early Sunday. We have learned from one of his neighbors that Mr. Dumlao lived in West Seattle, and also drove a FedEx route in the area. The driver accused of killing him, who police say admitted to drinking before the crash, is in jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. 3:18 PM UPDATE: We have just heard from a friend who says there’s a memorial fund set up for Mr. Dumlao’s family – through Sterling Savings Bank in Ballard.
Suzanne has a reminder after grinchy thieves struck her doorstep near 28th/Webster [map] on a day otherwise full of joyous memories:
I had a FedEx package stolen from my Sunrise Heights home on Friday night. It was a wedding gift to my new husband, to whom I was getting married on the same day it got stolen. FedEx will probably cover it, but the thief is still a worthless lowlife. Be sure to have packages delivered to work addresses or held at the PO this season!
Tomorrow, the suspects charged with murder in the February 1st West Seattle shooting death of Steve Bushaw are expected in court. The case has been much-discussed since we first reported the 4 arrests last week, then details of the charges. According to court documents, the suspects believed the victim was responsible for a crime for which he was never charged; the documents include no evidence of his involvement in that crime. The Bushaw family has declined requests for comment as the 10-month investigation proceeded, but the victim’s sister, Tanya Bushaw, asked if we would publish something she wanted to say on her brother’s behalf – here is her statement in its entirety:
Over the past ten months my family has decided to keep our comments to ourselves regarding the killing of my brother, Stevie Bushaw. We didn’t know any details as the detectives could not tell us anything due to it being an active, on-going investigation. However, on Tuesday when we found out police had arrested 4 men who were involved in his murder we were so relieved, excited, and sad all at the same time. We finally had some sort of resolution to this situation and more insight as to what happened that night. Despite these arrests, it is still an on-going investigation and we only know what has been written in the charging documents.
You cannot imagine how hard it is to hear your son/brother say “Bye, I’ll be back. I’m going to have a beer with Bryce” and then 15 minutes later he is dead and you have no idea why or how it happened. You only know he will not be back…ever!
Before this I only saw my dad cry twice, maybe three times in my life and now he cries everyday. My mother, in addition to all her tears, was sure her heart shrunk because her chest felt sunken after this happened. My daughter, 4, has had to learn about death, guns, and “bad guys” that use guns to kill people. Too many nights I had to hold her and calm her down from crying so hard because she missed her Uncle Stevie. As a whole we are all very sensitive to each other’s well being in fear that we might lose another member of this family.
(Editor’s note: That is Tanya’s daughter, Ava, held by Steve Bushaw in the photo above, shared earlier this year by the family. Tanya’s statement continues after the jump.)Read More
Over the past three months (starting again in September), we have reported more incidences of vandalism involving profane anti-gay slurs, usually appearing on business and park property in Morgan Junction and north of Lincoln Park. This morning, we have received reports indicating that the vandalism happened again multiple times overnight: Jim e-mailed to report the word “pedophile” (misspelled) painted on a business window south of Morgan Junction, which relates to the theme of the unprintable slur that has appeared most often. And we just received a report of vandalism on a private residence’s garage door along 42nd SW northeast of Morgan Junction, and that victim tells us the investigating officer confirmed multiple reports. To recap, the man who was arrested for this same type of vandalism earlier this year was charged, but the charges were dropped when he was found not competent to stand trial; while there’s been no declaration that he is definitely responsible for the latest incidents in the past few months, police have said they continue looking for him – no permanent address, apparently – to question him about what’s happened. At last month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting (WSB coverage here), police were asked for a description; acting Community Police Team Sgt. Adonis Topacio said “white male, late 20s, early 30s, always looks stressed out” and an attendee said he was known to wear hoodies. Police also have reiterated that their best hope is for someone to see the vandalism as it happens and to call 911. We’re checking with the precinct again today to see if there’s anything new to share from their standpoint.
We’ve got a lot of checking to do when our Parks and Police contacts are back in the office tomorrow, but in the meantime, for late-night news checkers, a short update on this weekend’s developments in the case of the missing totem pole.
Background: After a WSB’er e-mailed us Wednesday morning to ask where the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole (photo at left used with Rotary’s permission) had gone, we quickly put in an inquiry with the Parks Department, then went over to check the scene (35th/Alaska, overlooking the West Seattle Golf Course), taking the photos you see in this story we published Thursday morning, after Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter confirmed to WSB that they hadn’t authorized anyone to remove it and would report it as stolen. After reading our story, WSB commenters reported seeing trucks at the scene Monday evening – a tow truck assisting a stuck crane truck. A few longtime Rotary Club of West Seattle members also have been investigating, as we mentioned in our Friday followup – the club donated the park and pole in 1976 and isn’t taking this lightly. On Saturday, we followed along as they tried to track the trail. Read on:Read More
Just out of the WSB inbox from Marc in Highland Park:
Neighbors’ house was broken into on Friday, they kicked the door down. I was home early and called the police when I noticed it. Their dog seems to have spooked the burglar and as a result the theft was not too bad, but this was bold. Broad daylight, front door kicked in. Other neighbors reported seeing a light green van in the area that may have been involved, but no license plate. We’re up near 13th and Trenton [map], keep your eyes open!
Maybe it’s the cold weather. Crime reports have quieted down somewhat. We do have one to share this afternoon that’s small, but might be something you’d come across, discarded along a road or sidewalk: Hallie says a black ERGObaby carrier was taken from a basket of dry cleaning unintentionally left near Eastridge Christian Assembly (38th/Oregon) – when she and her husband went out looking for it, they found the basket and the clothes, but someone had taken the carrier. On a side note, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council won’t be meeting this month – next meeting in January.
We promised an update before the day was out – here’s what we can tell you so far. If you missed yesterday’s story – see it here – the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole is missing; after a WSB’er called it to our attention on Wednesday, we inquired with Seattle Parks, which hadn’t heard about the disappearance; they subsequently checked around extensively and couldn’t find anybody anywhere in the city who had taken it, so they reported it stolen.
Seattle Police confirm it’s now an active investigation, and detectives have been to the scene. Some WSB’ers have posted comments after yesterday’s story saying they saw the crane truck that appeared to be removing it back on Monday. Turns out the Rotary Club of West Seattle has been investigating too, since the park and totem pole were their gifts to the city back in 1976 (here’s the history). They believe they’ve traced the crane company that was hired to remove the pole – but the questions of who hired the crane company (reportedly paying cash), why, and where exactly the totem pole is now, haven’t been sorted out yet.
Thanks to the various folks who tipped us to this – got the word while we were driving. Here’s one of many sites with the latest wire story. That’s going to be after midnight in Italy, by the way.
Two years after the murder of which she’s accused, almost one year after the start of her trial in Italy, the American student with West Seattle roots is awaiting the verdict this morning. This Google News query will take you to the latest stories from sources foreign and domestic. Jurors have been deliberating more than three hours, after hearing final statements including one from Knox herself. Her father Curt Knox told reporters the family is “very hopeful” she will be acquitted. ADDED 11:07 AM: KING5 interviewed Knox’s aunt Janet Huff in West Seattle this morning.
A day and a half after our first report of arrests on the February 1st murder of Steve Bushaw in West Seattle, police have issued their official news release – with one new bit of info: They’re still asking for tips in the case. Read on for the full text (including where to direct tips):Read More
Just received documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with the charges against the four suspects who, as we first reported early this morning, have been arrested in connection with the February 1 shooting death of Steve Bushaw in The Junction. The suspects named in the documents are the same three who we found on the King County Jail Register early today – 27-year-old Bryce Huber, 30-year-old Brandon Chaney, 28-year-old Danny O’Neal Jr. – and the man arrested in San Antonio, TX, 32-year-old John Sylve. More as we read the documents. 4:43 PM: The documents tell a long and complicated story which as we boil it down appears to explain why so much time elapsed between the murder and the arrests – it appears to have been an extremely complex investigation, involving a lot of cell-phone trails in the evidence – read on for more as we add it:Read More
King County Sheriff’s Office says this is what it’s about: A bail bondsman was trying to arrest someone – which they have the authority to do, per Sgt. John Urquhart – and the would-be arrestee ran off. Now KCSO is involved. So that’s what we know about the search for now; thanks to everyone who’s sent tips/questions. 4:23 PM UPDATE: The helicopter seems to have left the original search area, which we have confirmed on scene is 16th/102nd, on the south side of the main White Center business district.
(2/1/09 photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
We have been working most of the night to try to confirm a thirdhand report we received of arrests in the murder 10 months ago of Steven Bushaw – shot to death in The Junction hours after the Super Bowl. Police have not been available for comment and the court-records system is shut down for the night, but we did find three people listed on the King County Jail Register who were booked today on suspicion of first-degree murder – and one of our messages seeking comment from family members has just been answered: Steve’s sister Tanya Bushaw confirms that they have been told of three arrests, possibly four. This might be the fourth: We just found an out-of-town news story confirming one person under arrest in Texas (with a name different from the 3 in KCJ) and a mention of three others “sought”: This story from San Antonio names a man arrested there in connection with the Bushaw murder (the victim is not mentioned by name in the story but it describes the case as a Feb. 1 murder in West Seattle). We hope to be able to talk with police and prosecutors later this morning and will publish whatever additional information becomes available. (Photo above right was provided last winter by the Bushaw family, showing Steve with niece Ava in summer 2008.) 9:18 AM UPDATE: We just spoke with Det. Mark Jamieson in the SPD Media Unit. They are not yet ready this morning to release details of the case/arrests, he told me, but hope to later today – it’s still, he notes, “an active and ongoing investigation.” We’ve also checked the online court files but nothing on this is in the system yet – we have an inquiry in to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, asking for any documents that can be made public at this point. 3:19 PM: PAO spokesperson Dan Donohoe says, “The court documents are under seal because of ongoing investigation.” But he says “some more information” should be available later.
ORIGINAL 3:02 AM REPORT: Nothing is confirmed – it’s all scanner traffic [assault with weapons call] – but there are multiple indications this is related to the search for Maurice Clemmons, the suspect in the Pierce County police murders: Someone’s been shot in the 4400 block of South Kenyon, south of Beacon Hill, and there’s a huge police response. We’ll add details as we get them; the citywide media is just revving up on this too. (Thanks to the unidentified person who phoned and suggested we turn the scanner back on!) 3:19 AM UPDATE: Mark Rahner from the Seattle Times (WSB partner) reports on Twitter: “Law enforcement source confirms suspect arrested on 4400 block of S. Kenyon was Maurice Clemmons.” Next tweet: “Clemmons said to have challenged police who approached him and was shot.” 3:23 AM: Seattle Police’s media unit just tweeted: “Possible officer involved shooting in the 4400 block of S Kenyon” and noted that they have two people on the way there. 3:50 AM: KIRO and KOMO have both reported — on Twitter, and KIRO did a brief on-TV break-in — that Clemmons is dead, quoting law-enforcement sources including Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. (Added, KING has just confirmed it too.) 3:57 AM: The Tacoma News-Tribune has background on what he was doing in the area where he was killed. 4:14 AM: The citywide media is in full swing now so we’ll point you there for continuing coverage – seattletimes.com in particular; for the latest via Twitter, here’s everybody posting with the #washooting “hashtag” for related coverage.
5:38 AM UPDATE: Since we’re still up because of the Fauntleroy Way fire – a few more notes about this incident. Police are briefing the media now. Among other things, they say that a gun found on Maurice Clemmons when he was shot and killed this morning was taken from one of the Lakewood officers killed Sunday. 1:30 PM: Here’s the SPDBlotter summary of how it unfolded this morning.
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