A 78-year-old man is recovering after a car plowed into him in a Ballard crosswalk during a weekend protest, then took off before anyone could stop it, witnesses said.
The collision unfolded Saturday at the NW Market Street crosswalk near 22nd Avenue NW, according to protest organizers. Demonstrators with the weekly Defenders of Democracy march were nearby when a driver accelerated through the area, struck the man, and knocked him to the pavement.
Seattle police investigators say they do not believe the crash was intentional. Officers told reporters they have identified a suspected driver, but as of late yesterday, they had not confirmed contact, according to KING 5.
Witnesses told police the vehicle sped around the corner, hit the man in the crosswalk, then continued west on Market Street. Bystanders snapped a photo of the license plate and turned it over to investigators. Detectives with the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad are now going through video evidence and witness statements as the case moves forward.
"He took a step out into the crosswalk and a vehicle came accelerating around the corner, very tight [to] the corner, and hit him. It knocked him down and he spun clockwise back onto the sidewalk," witness David Tookey told KING 5, adding that the walk signal was on at the time of the collision.
Diane Berger, a co-founder of Defenders of Democracy, called the sight of the injured man on the ground "shocking" and said the group will introduce crossing guards at future marches beginning this Saturday. Organizers said the added safety measures are aimed at protecting older demonstrators as well as people simply walking through the neighborhood.
Protest Context
The Ballard demonstration was one of several local rallies held after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. That killing has triggered solidarity events across the country, according to The Associated Press.
Local outlets reported related marches in West Seattle and other neighborhoods on the same day, as Seattle residents joined calls for nationwide demonstrations and solidarity actions.
Investigation And How To Help
Police say the investigation remains active and are urging anyone with video or other information about the vehicle to come forward. The Seattle Police Department’s blotter and public notices list contact information for the Violent Crimes Tip Line and the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad for hit and run and pedestrian collision cases. SPD's blotter includes the tip line number and detective contacts for these types of investigations.
Defenders of Democracy organizers say the weekly demonstrations will continue, with updated safety protocols aimed at making sure neighbors and older participants can attend without added risk. On local message boards, some nearby residents pointed to the crash as another example of long-standing worries about turning traffic and crosswalk timing at that intersection.
