West Seattle, Washington
19 Friday
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
STOLEN F-150: Karla sent the report and photo:
Sometime between midnight and 11 am our 1992 blue/white Ford F-150 was stolen off the street in front of our house on Delridge Way SW & SW Kenyon St. We’ve had the vehicle for less than a year. This truck was bought with wedding gift money after we had to postpone our ceremony over a year and a half due to the pandemic, so it’s pretty devastating to my husband and I. If people could be on the lookout for it we’d greatly appreciate it. If spotted please call 911 as well as Derek at 406-249-9073 (yes, it’s 406, not 206). Thank you!!
SPD incident # is 2022-278202.
STOLEN NISSAN XE: This report and photo are from Nathan:
Last night (Saturday, Oct 15th) between 7:48pm and 8:48pm my truck was stolen from the street right outside my house near 12th Ave SW and Kenyon. ’96 Nissan Regular Cab XE in light blue. Back tailgate has the word ‘Loretta’ in large letters. License plate is C28238Y.
If found please call 911. The SPD case number is 2022-278151.
VANDALIZED CHARGER CORD: Aley sent this report and photo:
Someone cut right through the chord of our level 2 electric car charger in our alley. The car was plugged in. Between Dawson and Brandon on 42nd.
No report # yet.
11:55 PM: Police are investigating gunfire that happened along Sylvan Way about an hour ago. Area resident Sam, one of those who heard and reported the shots, says they happened just before 11 pm, and that police found casings. No reports of injuries.
ADDED 10:39 AM FRIDAY: Here’s the SPD summary:
At 2255 hours, a SW Patrol Sergeant heard gunshots to the north of the SW Precinct. This information was broadcast, and officers responded to the area to conduct a search. Additional 911 callers narrowed down the possible location to the 6900 block of Sylvan Way SW. Officers arrived and found a scene in the middle of the road at this location. A search for evidence located evidence of a shooting in the street. The primary witness provided a minimal suspect description of an older 2-door black sedan that may have been involved that had sped away from the scene prior to police arrival. No property damage or victims were located during an area search.
We have charging documents in two West Seattle cases:
DON ARMENI BOAT RAMP ROBBERY: The three men arrested after crashing their car at Delridge/Genesee following the Sunday night holdup are all now charged. 29-year-old Isai Hernandez is charged with first-degree robbery, attempting to elude pursuing police, and first-degree unlawful gun possession. The other two, 18-year-old Roberto A. Lizama Diaz and 20-year-old Angel M. Macias, are both charged with first-degree robbery. Hernandez has a criminal record dating back to 2009, with adult felony convictions for assault, drive-by shooting, and possession of stolen property. The other two have no records. The charging documents tell basically the same narrative as reported in our Tuesday followup, alleging that the three held up a man who was sitting in his parked pickup truck at the park, stealing his wallet, money, and phone. Hernandez is accused of being the one with the gun, who fired a shot as they fled, and the driver of the getaway car. The documents also contain photos, which is unusual – here’s the photo reported to have been taken by a bystander, showing the three running away:
The documents also include mugshots of all three:
From left are Hernandez, whose bail remains set at $265,000 (including $15,000 in other unrelated cases), Lizama Diaz, whose bail remains at $50,000, and Macias, whose bail remains at $175,000. They’re all scheduled to be arraigned, entering an initial plea to the charges, on October 26th.
UPPER MORGAN STOLEN-CAR CRASH: Also filed this week, charges in a case we covered when it happened in June. This too involved a crash following police attempts to pull a suspect over. 30-year-old Dancho J. Gardipe of North Shorewood was arrested after crashing a stolen Subaru Forester near 40th/Morgan a short time after police had started trying to pull him over in The Junction.
(WSB photo, June 17)
Before coming to a stop up on the sidewalk, as our photo shows, Gardipe also hit a pickup truck whose driver complained of shoulder pain. He hit a parked vehicle too. Our original story mentions a man being taken to the hospital; that was Gardipe, who the charging documents say suffered a collapsed lung and broken leg. He is charged with one count of attempting to elude police; his record includes a conviction for obstructing police and several pending charges in other cases including a 2021 charge of stolen-vehicle possession. He is not currently in custody.
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
TENT TAKEN: From Coleman:
My iKamper Rooftop Tent was stolen last night off my truck. I live at 32nd and Holdon. My neighbor saw two men attaching the tent to their white 2004 Chevy Impala with a bright green compression strap. No rack. The tent would stand out like a sore thumb on their car. Here is a picture of my truck.
My kids are super upset about it. Maybe someone will spot it. The police case number is 2022-2747719.
MISSING A LAWN MOWER? A Seattle Parks employee texted to say they’ve found one:
We have recovered a lawn mower from one of our parks and it looks rather new. I think someone in the community is missing it; please contact 206-684-7475 with the make and model.
A commenter on our coverage of this morning’s garage/car fire in Sunrise Heights mentioned hearing gunfire around the same time. SPD’s report summaries confirm it. Just after 2:45 am, officers were dispatched to investigate a report of suspected gunfire near 24th/Holden. The report summary says, “Callers nearby reported bullet damage to their apartments. Officers arrived and found bullet damage to 3 apartments in the same building. Witnesses reported hearing 1 shot, a brief pause, and then 4 rapid additional shots.” No injuries were reported. No one saw the shooter(s) or any possible suspect vehicles. If you have any information, the SPD incident number for reference is 2022-273714.
(WSB photo)
Another large-scale theft of newly placed plants has happened. Last time it was at Alki Beach Park; this time, from planters in the street along Roxhill Park. A nearby resident emailed us to report the theft while explaining the planters:
I’m a resident on 29th Ave SW across from Roxhill Park in Westwood area. 6 families on 29th Ave, south of Barton St. pooled money together recently and purchased 10 large galvanized water-trough planters which we set out on the East side of 29th Ave to prevent the RV people from returning. Hundreds of dollars of newly planted plants we put in last Friday were all pulled out of the planters and stolen last night around 9 pm. The RV-prevention planters were set up next to the playground at Roxhill Park after over a year or so of RV’s terrorizing the street and park with their trash, loud gasoline generators, prostitution, and drug use which they had been parked and getting away with until recently when residents reported repeatedly to the city and they were issued citations and have all moved as of yesterday. We suspect a landscaper as the plants were all taken from the scene rather than simply being pulled up by a disgruntled RV person, returning for revenge.
We asked for more details on the stolen plants. They included “tall sky pencil hollies, boxwoods, and liriopes … Lavender and red and purple mums … Carl Forester Feather Reed grasses and Ruby daylilies ,,, And some blue festuca grasses from (one of the neighbors’) backyard.” Estimated value, more than $700. The neighbor who emailed us adds, “We were getting so many positive comments and even cash donations from nearby residents and parents of playground users that this is just too bad.”
RECOGNIZE THESE SHOPLIFTERS-TURNED-ROBBERS? Last week we reported on a shoplifting incident at Westwood Village Ross Dress for Less that turned into a robbery when the thief pulled a gun. This afternoon, police say there were actually three people involved and they’re published photos, looking for help in identifying them:
If you can identify any of them, you’re asked to call the SPD tip line at 206-233-5000.
STOLEN BLUE HYUNDAI: Maybe you have seen Hallie‘s car:
My car was stolen outside my house sometime after 2:30 am Sunday morning 10/09, right across from Sanislo Elementary School playfield. It’s a blue 2017 Hyundai Accent.
License plate (updated) CCU4842
They broke off my driver-side door handle.
SPD incident # 22-271161
(Sunday night photo of Delridge/Genesee crash scene sent by Kellan)
11:15 AM: We’ve obtained the court documents from bail hearings for two of the three suspects jailed after the two-scene Sunday night incident that started with an armed robbery and gunfire at Don Armeni Boat Ramp and ended with the suspects’ car crashing into the bottom of the Delridge/Genesee stairway. More details are likely to emerge if and when they are charged later this week, but here’s what the probable-cause documents say happened:
The victim, a 55-year-old man, was sitting in his pickup truck at Don Armeni when three men approached, knocked on his window, and demanded he give them his wallet, money, and cellphone. One of them “pulled out a firearm, identified as a black and gray semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and pointed it at” the victim, then threatened to kill him unless he handed over the aforementioned items. The three then opened the victim’s vehicle door and took his wallet from his pocket and his phone from the center console. They then backed away, and the one with the gun fired a shot into the air before the three ran back to their car, then another as they ran. They left in the car, described as a black 2016 Chevrolet Impala, driven by the robber who had the gun. Meantime, a 20-year-old man who was nearby when all this happened took phone photos of the fleeing robbers. That helped police identify them after they were caught following the Delridge/Genesee crash (the circumstances of which are not detailed in this document, which just says the three “were later apprehended and placed into custody after fleeing from officers”).
Bail for the 29-year-old Kent man described as having and using the gun is set at $265,000, including $15,000 for previous property-crime cases outside Seattle. Bail for the 18-year-old Renton man who also had a hearing Monday is set at $50,000. The third suspect, a 20-year-old man, is likely to appear today.
ADDED 9:18 PM: Bail for that third suspect was set at $175,000.
In addition to the incidents we’ve already covered, here are three more from the past few days, the first from a reader tip, the other two from SPD summaries:
BUSINESS BURGLARY: Thanks to Brenda for the tip on this:
The Verizon store in Admiral confirmed to us today that they were broken into via car crash early Sunday. Store staff told us the driver/burglar left behind damage including the now-boarded up window/door on the east side of the store, but said it did not appear anything was taken. Cameras did catch a license plate number, which has been provided to police.
SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: This happened around 12:30 am Friday but wasn’t reported to police until nine hours later, according to the summary. It happened at the South Delridge 7-11; the summary says two people came in and grabbed beer, chips, and other beverages, then left without paying. The clerk followed them, took a photo, and walked up to their vehicle. One of the people brandished a gun, and then the two left.
GUNFIRE: Also in South Delridge, several 911 callers reported suspected gunfire around 6:17 am Sunday; calls were received by both SPD and the King County Sheriff’s Office, so both officers and deputies showed up to investigate. The summary says they found “evidence of a shooting” – which usually means casings – in the street at 20th/Roxbury. No gunshot victims turned up anywhere. The summary notes that a vehicle was believed to be involved, “possibly a black sedan.”
Thanks for the tips about a collision on Alki earlier this afternoon. The medical response was quickly downsized and we couldn’t get there in time, but Michael sent this photo and report:
Approximately 1 pm a car took out a bicyclist on Alki Avenue at 61st SW in front of Fire Taco. Witnesses say the car first sped south down Alki Avenue then made a U-turn to speed back north up Alki Avenue deliberately targeting the bicycle, accelerating to rear end the bike before speeding off. The accident was witnessed by many people (but not me) including the Route 50 bus driver parked at the intersection. Several people including the bus driver were able to provide the cops with the license plate number. Amazingly the bicyclist got up and declined medical attention, although his bicycle was pretty much totaled.
The police-call log shows the incident # for this is 22-271097. (added) Archived police-radio audio includes an initial description of the car as “white Chrysler.”
10:46 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police are investigating gunfire tonight targeting a West Seattle fire station. It was reported just after 9 pm that somebody shot at Fire Station 37. Investigating officers reported initially finding damage from one shot to the garage window of the station at 35th/Holden. No injuries reported. We’re following up and will add anything more we find out. If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 22-269510.
ADDED 9:20 AM SATURDAY: We followed up with SFD. Spokesperson Kristin Tinsley tells WSB this morning that despite the initial police assessment, “the glass of one of the apparatus bay doors was damaged at Fire Station 37 but it’s undetermined what caused the damage.” We won’t have access to the police report for further followup until Monday.
ADDED 10:43 AM SATURDAY: We did manage to obtain some information from police, who say a “ball bearing” was found at the scene. They’re still not sure exactly what happened but didn’t find gunfire evidence.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
STOLEN PICKUP: Amanda reports this pickup truck has been stolen again:
2002 F-250. It was parked in front of the bowling alley between 1 and 2 pm on Thursday the 6th. Plate (corrected) C52723N.
We’re awaiting the report number. (UPDATE: It’s 22-268812.)
MEETING POSTPONED AGAIN: For the second time, Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner has announced the postponement of a planned community meeting with police:
I am deeply sorry to have to do this again, but we are very excited to announce that the next SW Precinct Crime Prevention Council Meeting will be held in-person at the SW Precinct!! For the first time since 2020, we are looking forward to welcoming our community back into our community room. The meeting was scheduled for next Thursday, but we will be postponing until the community room is available.
We’ll update when there’s a new date.
SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: This happened just before 9:30 Tuesday night. Here’s how the police summary tells the story:
Officers and Westwood Village Emphasis Units responded to the Ross Dress for Less at Westwood Village for a report of an armed robbery. Loss Prevention Officers reported they had attempted to contact a suspected shoplifter who had gathered 300-400 dollars-worth of apparel. This suspect began to leave through the “employees only” area that led to an emergency exit. LPOs contacted him, at which time he pulled a handgun and pointed it at them, telling them to “back off,” which allowed him to run from the business, get into his vehicle and flee the area. An area check was negative.
Two recent case filings from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:
BUS ASSAULTS: These charges are from an incident this past May, in which police responded to a report of someone using a cane to hit multiple people aboard a Metro bus near Westwood Village. 58-year-old Hazem Abdulhadi is charged with two counts of assault, one third-degree and one fourth-degree, for hitting a 17-year-old girl in the abdomen as she was boarding the bus and then hitting a 69-year-old Metro supervisor in the arm after he arrived to try to help before transit deputies got there. The charging documents say Abdulhadi’s attacks were recorded on security video and were unprovoked. He was arrested and spent 24 hours and in jail; charges were filed four and a half months later.
HIT-AND-RUN: This stems back to an incident in December 2020. Prosecutors say 37-year-old Carl D. Lee was driving a stolen SUV, and did not have a valid driver license, when he hit a 36-year-old man crossing the street at 32nd/Raymond early on a Sunday morning. The victim’s injuries included getting several teeth knocked out. Police found the damaged car one block away about a day and a half later. After impounding the vehicle, a search yielded a clue to who had been driving it – Lee’s documents from a recent Harborview Medical Center discharge. The documents charging Lee with one count of felony hit and run do not fully explain the lag in the case – the police detective’s report is dated January of this year; the charges were filed in late September. He is not currently in custody, according to the King County jail register.
This one-of-a-kind vehicle has been stolen:
Its owner emailed this morning to say the 2001 yellow Jeep Cherokee was stolen last night between 8:30 and 11 pm at the West Seattle Health Club lot. Its unique components include front steel bumper with winch, 32-inch mud-terrain tires, and 15-inch black American Racing rims; its owner says this is the only yellow Jeep Cherokee you’d see in this area. Plate is CAS1799. We don’t have the police report number yet but will add when we get it; call 911 if you see this vehicle.
Last Thursday we reported on an assault case involving an incident outside a building near 35th/Holden. The suspect remains in jail, and today the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged her with two felonies. 44-year-old Ruth G. Gebreyosus is charged with second-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief. The charging documents tell the same story as the initial police report we obtained last week – that Gebreyosus attacked and threatened the victim for recording her vandalizing the victim’s mother’s car. Her mother and Gebreyosus both live in the building outside which it happened. Prosecutors say Gebreyosus, who was armed with a knife, cut the victim’s hand and bit her arm, and threatened to kill both the victim and her mother. The defendant has no criminal record, according to the charging documents. Her bail remains set at $5,000 and her arraignment is scheduled for October 17th.
Thanks for all the tips. Police caught a lot of attention this past hour with bullhorn warnings and sirens in North Delridge. According to archived police audio, it all started with a domestic-violence call in the 4800 block of 25th SW, someone reporting that their partner was threatening them with a weapon. The suspect apparently left the scene on foot and police have been searching for her; we don’t know yet whether they have made an arrest.
Karen‘s dark green 2004 Subaru Forester wagon was stolen near Admiral Safeway between 6 am and 2:30 pm Saturday. Plate #ACW9799. If you see it, SPD incident # for reference is 22-263153.
Recognize either of those people? They were caught on security camera burglarizing Fauntleroy UCC Church (9140 California SW) last night, reports Phil, who sent the information and images. He says they left behind damage to the lobby door and interior windows, If you have information, the SPD incident # is 2022-262632, and you can also leave a message on the church phone, 206-932-5600.
(Riders arriving at Spokane Street site)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“Robb should still be here.”
So said one of the bicycle-affixed signs seen tonight when Seattle Neighborhood Greenways‘ memorial ride for Robb Mason arrived in the area east of the West Seattle low bridge where he was killed by a hit-and-run driver two and a half months ago.
And so said speakers including Mr. Mason’s widow Claudia.
This was the second ride in his memory, after Critical Mass Seattle. That one was just two weeks after his death, yet despite the passage of time, the one tonight was more emotional, and more resolute. City officials including SDOT’s new director were there this time, promising action; Mayor Bruce Harrell even had spoken to the riders before they left City Hall Plaza and headed this way. But Claudia Mason’s words were the most powerful of all, not only in remembrance of her husband, but also with a message to his as-yet-unapprehended hit-run killer:
After she spoke, riders rang bicycle bells, the gentle ringing rippling across the roadside crowd of more than 100. Another sound heard too often during the gathering was that of speeding cars.
The next speakers, local advocates, pleaded for action – Kate Wells of West Seattle Bike Connections, saying the city did not act boldly enough during the bridge’s shutdown to make travel safer for all modes, but needs to now; Erica Bush from Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, noting the area’s unique transportation characteristics, insisted that freight, pedestrian, and bike safety can co-exi
Others who spoke included Gordon Padelford, SNG’s executive director, saying Seattle can solve big problems – like the bridge – and certainly can fix the safety conundrum; the city’s executive general manager Adiam Emery, who reiterated the commitment to safety goals; and SDOT’s traffic engineer Venu Nemani, who did the same. Then the person in the best position to effect change took the microphone, new SDOT director Greg Spotts, who said safety is now job one for everyone in his department and won’t be siloed any more:
When the speeches ended and riders started talking logistics for getting back home – safely – we spoke briefly with Padelford, to ask if his group had any immediate recommendations for safety at the scene of the crash that killed Robb Mason. He cautioned that the exact circumstances aren’t known but one thing is – chronic speeding in the corridor, Measures to address that, such as speed humps and raised crosswalks, could be considered, he said.
Meantime, as Claudia Mason said in hopes the hit-run driver would hear, “You can’t hide forever,” and if that driver’s family/friends know what happened, they shouldn’t bear the burden of keeping that secret. Tips can be called in to SPD’s Violent Crime Hotline, 206-233-5000.
Three more Crime Watch reports;
DRUG STING: We learned about this via charges filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. 62-year-old Thomas B. Hull is charged with a drug felony and unlawful gun possession after what court documents describe as an undercover drug sting, making three buys at an RV on SW Marginal Place (which has been reoccupied since its summer sweep). Prosecutors say three undercover buys were made before Hull was arrested and the RV was searched: “Inside the RV, police found a significant amount of several types of drugs, a scale, and he had 5 thousand dollars in cash. Police also found a 22-caliber revolver, bullets, and a musket.” The “several types of drugs,” according to the charging documents, included fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.” Hull has 12 felony convictions, including burglaries, drug violations, and forgery. Prosecutors asked for $100,000 bail; a judge set it at $10,000. Hull got out of jail one day after his arrest last Friday; he was charged on Tuesday.
ASSAULT ARREST: A woman was arrested for investigation of second-degree assault after police responded to a report of two women fighting outside an apartment building in the 7600 block of 35th SW just after 6:30 last night. The summary says, “Upon arrival, officers located the victim, who told officers the suspect assaulted her with a knife and then bit her. The victim said she then pepper-sprayed the suspect in self-defense.” ADDED: We’ve since obtained more information from police. The victim, 45, and her 73-year-old mother were walking by when they saw the 44-year-old suspect vandalizing a car, first trying to rip off its mirrors, then hitting the windshield with a knife handle. The victim pulled out her phone to video-record her and the suspect became agitated, threatening to kill the other women, and coming at them with her knife. The victim pepper-sprayed her but also got cuts on her hand from trying to prevent the suspect from stabbing her. Police arrived at some point and while trying to sort everything out learned that the car the suspect was vandalizing belonged to a 66-year-old woman who has had a longstanding conflict with the suspect over a dog. Police say the suspect is “well-known to officers as she has assaulted multiple people unprovoked in her apartment building that she thinks are trying to kill her, a pair of CPS workers who tried to check on her 6-year-old daughter, and (her daughter’s) school principal.” The suspect was booked into jail; her bail was set today at $5,000.
STOLEN WHITE ACCORD: The car was stolen in White Center but the last time it was taken, it was found in West Seattle, so the owner hopes someone might have seen it:
Cash reward to anyone who can help me recover my Honda Accord ($300)
1996 Honda Accord (white)
Temporary plate # A5359322
Vin (starts with) 1HGC
KCSO case Number : C22031768
The windshield is cracked.
Maybe you’ve seen John‘s pickup, stolen near 13th/Thistle in Highland Park:
My 1992 Nissan Frontier truck – king cab, blue metallic/gray color, a black door on driver’s side, plate number B11839S – was stolen on 9/22. This is a photo from the web … my truck has black wheel rims but the color is similar. It’s been stolen twice now and this time it had “the club” on the steering wheel. It’s a good running vehicle and I would like to have it back.
If you see, or have seen, John’s pickup, the SPD incident # is 22-254093.
Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: A 47-year-old man is in the King County Jail for investigation of robbery after an incident at Jefferson Square Safeway last night. Police say he went into the store just before 10 pm “brandishing a table knife” and “attempted to steal food items without paying before being confronted by loss prevention (who were) able to disarm the suspect and retrieve items after a scuffle.” The suspect was arrested shortly thereafter and was also found to have a warrant from a fourth-degree-assault case.
STOLEN E-BIKE: Sarah says WSB readers helped her get a stolen bike back two years ago. Now her orange and blue RadMission e-bike has been stolen.
It was stolen outside her workplace in the 4500 block of California SW earlier this week. It’s her “only mode of transportation,” Sarah says, and she’d “greatly appreciate” getting it back. (We’ll add the police-incident # when we get it.)
HIT-AND-RUN: Nancy says her Volvo was damaged by a hit-run driver at 2 pm Monday in the Les Schwab-West Seattle parking lot at Fauntleroy/Alaska. She says the culprit vehicle is a blue Prius that would have “new passenger-side damage to the front end.” Her Volvo, a silver 2017 model, was left with damage to three rear driver’s-side panels. If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 2022-257855.
One reader report in West Seattle Crime Watch today, from Kellene, property manager of a townhouse complex in the 5400 block of Delridge Way SW:
We have had a mail thief stealing our tenants’ mail. He has hit our mailboxes 8 times in the last month and we have filed reports with the police department and the postmaster general. He rides a bike and comes through in the early hours of the morning between 4:00 and 5:30 am. We are asking for help from the West Seattle neighborhood, to be on the lookout for this thief, and help in identifying this guy. We also want to help community members watch their own mailboxes.
The Police report #’s are 2022-917855, 2022-920590, and 2022-920959.
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