by Greg Wright

The King County Sheriff’s Office, through whom Burien contracts its police services, issued the following statement on Monday:

A 13 year-old Burien girl was injured yesterday (August 7th) after she was struck by a pick-up truck about 7:15 PM. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

The accident occurred when the girl, her sister, and a friend were all crossing Ambaum Blvd in a marked crosswalk at SW 154th. The driver of a 1990 Ford Ranger was northbound on Ambaum and apparently didn’t see the pedestrians.

The victim was just ahead of the other two in the crosswalk and she was the only one hit.

The driver is a 52 year-old man from Burien. He was not booked into jail or cited pending additional investigation.

Detectives believe alcohol on the part of the driver may have been a contributing factor to the accident.

An early report by KOMO News quoted Sgt. John Hall as saying the driver of the vehicle had been “arrested for investigation of vehicular assault.”    Yesterday, KIRO TV added that, although the driver was initially taken into custody, he “hasn’t been booked into jail or cited, pending further investigation by police.”

Late last night, KOMO’s Ray Lane added the following:

Detectives estimate the driver was going about 45 miles per hour – possibly faster – when he slammed into [the girl] on Sunday. Whitney [Sellers], who was walking across busy Ambaum Boulevard with her younger sister and cousin at the time, was thrown by the impact and landed some 25 feet away.

Deputies took the driver into custody, but he has not been arrested.

“It makes me angry,” said [mother Jennifer] Shields. “And I definitely would want to see something happen.”

The family has been told that results of blood-alcohol tests, which will help make decision about possible charges, will take two to three weeks. But the family wants to know why the man is allowed to roam free in the meantime, especially as Whitney lies in the hospital in pain.

“If he, in fact, was drinking and driving, that’s my biggest thing,” said Shields. “I would never want this to happen to anybody else.”

Detectives have also told the family they’re looking into whether a medical situation could have also been a factor in the crash.

According to Lane, the family reports that Jennifer is scheduled to undergo a “series of surgeries” today.

“It’ll probably be a couple months before she can try to learn how to walk again,” said mother Jennifer Shields.

Whitney’s pelvis is shattered in five places. Her hip is broken. There’s a pin in one of her knees, and her chin is fractured.

A call to King County’s Sgt. John Urquhart this morning confirmed that there have been no new developments in either citation, charges, or arrest.  Urquhart emphasized that any new developments will be weeks in coming.

Located on the corner of Ambaum and SW 149th, our latest Advertiser CSL Auto Electronics is a professional and experienced company providing top of the line auto electrical repairs, installation and maintenance services at affordable prices.

They also offer a wide selection of accessories for your car, including the following:

• Car Audio, Video and Navigation
• Lights and Body Kits
• Car Alarm Systems
• Bluetooth Devices
• GPS Installation

Juan Barron and his team even install Smart Start Ignition Interlock products which are breath alcohol analyzers that keep drivers with DUIs from operating vehicles if their breath alcohol level is over a preset reading.

Juan’s passion for the industry started when he was a young boy in Mexico City, where his curious mind and entrepreneurial spirit led him to begin tinkering with cars at a young age.

His interests revolved around understanding car electronics and improving existing electronic systems in new cars.

He never lost site of his dream of starting his own business. After moving to the United States and excelling in several automotive training institutions and courses, he started CSL Auto Electronics in 2006 and began relaying his passion in the work he now offers you.

His work philosophy is “because it matters to us.”

CSL Auto Electronics is located at 14821 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien.

And because you matter to him, Juan and his team would be happy to assist you in any project you have.

CSL Auto Electronics
14821 Ambaum Blvd SW
Burien, WA 98166

Phone: 206-246-4811

Website: www.cslautoelectronics.com

Hours:

• Mon. – Fri.: 10am to 7pm
• Sat.: 10am to 6pm

View Larger Map

Amy and husband Michael have years of experience in the auto body repair business, and they are happy to help you out in speedy fashion whatever your needs.

“From door dings to collisions, we fix it all,” Michael and Amy point out. “We help reduce stress by assisting with insurance claims, too.”

“And we offer detailing,” Amy adds.

Amy and Michael were born and raised in Burien and attended Highline High School.

“My mom, Cathy Low, and her whole family grew up in Seahurst,” Amy informs us. Cathy helps out now and again at Vision Collision’s office when Amy needs to run the occasional errand.

“And my uncle is none other than Jim Hughes of Sal’s Deli, just off 152nd. I worked there for years,” Amy said.

Lucy is Vision Collision's official mascot.

Amy and Michael’s Border Collie, Lucy, can often be seen running around the office.

“Lucy loves to come to work.”

Lucy isn’t the only pet in Amy and Michael’s household. On their land southeast of Burien “we also have two horses, three goats, and a cat.”

So anyway, we at the Blog think you’ll enjoy yourself so much at Vision Collision that, even if your vehicle is already ding-free, you should just take a hammer to your hood and bang it up a bit so you’ll have an excuse to stop by (uh…just kidding on that part, but stop by anyway!).

But seriously, click on Vision Collision’s Ad in the right sidebar, check out their stuff, call or drop by and see what they can do to fix your dinged and dented vehicle up.

Here’s a video we produced for them when they first signed on with us:

Click here to view the embedded video.

They are conveniently located just west of Ambaum at 803 SW 154th:

Vision Collision
803 SW 154th Street (just west of Ambaum)
Burien WA 98166

HOURS: 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday

PHONE: 206-244-2758

EMAIL: info@visioncollision.net

WEB: http://visioncollision.net/

And remember their slogan: “See? You’re Dent Free!”

A Washington State Patrol motorcycle officer fired shots Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 2nd) at a driver of a car stolen near Burien who allegedly tried to run her down as he fled from other officers.

Police say that the veteran trooper is uninjured, and multiple agencies are investigating both the shooting and the auto theft which preceded the incident.

Initial indications are that the trooper became involved in the pursuit, which began in Burien shortly after 2pm. The pursuit moved on to SR-518, then to I-5 southbound towards Fife, where the subject abandoned the original vehicle and jumped in another which was nearby.

At that point multiple witnesses report the suspect drove at the WSP trooper two separate times. After the first attempt, the trooper abandoned her bike and was on foot. The subject came at her a second time, at which point she fired shots to end the attack. The subject veered away and was eventually stopped by other troopers using a Pursuit Immobilization Technique (PIT). The driver continued to fight and had to be tasered in order to be taken into custody.

The suspect was slightly injured, but it is not currently clear whether those injuries were caused by the trooper’s shots or when the car hit a tree following the PIT maneuver.

The Washington State Patrol, Fife Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office are conducting concurrent investigations of the incident.

“It’s 12:30am on a snowy Tuesday night: did you know your son and his loud car are racing around the St. Francis parking lot?”:

If you’ve got a weather-related photo you’d like us to share with our Readers, please email us.

Thanks!

Thanks to BTB Reader Matt Cassarino for the tip and pics – late Friday afternoon (July 23), around 5pm, a Cadillac SUV crashed through an outside wall of Angelo’s Italian Restaurant (located at 601 SW 153rd), right into the main banquet room.

Initial reports are that there are no injuries, and it appears that the driver is elderly.

We called and spoke about the incident with a worker there, who confirmed that it had happened.

Matt says:

(A) … parked car, wheels peeled out, hopped the curb and right into the main banquet room.

Pretty crazy really.

I was sitting in my office which is right next door to Angelos and watched the whole thing happen.

At first I thought it was a hate crime or something, but then realized it was an elderly driver.

No injuries from what I could tell.

Pretty wild!

Here are photos emailed to us by Matt:

EDITOR’S NOTE: If you happen upon a breaking story, please email us a report and/or photos to editor@b-townblog.com.

The Washington State Patrol is reporting that a Normandy Park woman is lucky to be alive today (Wed., June 2) after her windshield was struck by a tire while she was driving on Interstate 5 in Tukwila.

According to WSP, the woman was northbound in her 2002 Honda Accord in the right lane near the Duwamish curves when a southbound truck lost its left front tire while traveling freeway speeds. The tire came across the median and impacted the Honda’s windshield on the driver’s side. The woman calmly pulled to the right shoulder and waited for help to arrive. Fortunately the driver only suffered minor injuries from shattered glass.

A Normandy Park woman is lucky to be alive after her car was struck by a loose truck tire.

The cause of the tire failure is under investigation.

WSP also wants to remind drivers to check their vehicle equipment often to ensure all safety standards are met.

by Julie Tallant

Looking for a sport for your child? Want them to learn discipline and responsibility? Not interested in the typical sports? Fascinated with cars?

Then NHRA Jr. Drag Racing may be the sport for your child.

My daughter Ellie has just started her first full season drag racing. She ran 6 of the 13 races last year. And out of 37 kids she ended 17th. She even took 2nd place in one of the races, complete with her first trophy!

Now I’m sure you’re thinking:

“How old is she?

How fast does she go?

And um…is it safe?”

Well, to be eligible to drag race you have to be 8-years old, obtain a NHRA Jr. Drag racing competition license, and have a car that can pass a tech inspection. There are several different brackets, with different regulations for different ages. From ages 8 – 18, the kids are out there running their cars with anything from a Briggs and Stratton to a Harley Davidson engine (of course, HD is the older bracket!).

Ellie is 10 years old, so she competes in the JR Thunder bracket. She runs mid 11 seconds in the 1/8 mile with a speed of 55 mph.  She wears fire pants, a fire jacket and a full face helmet. She has a five-point harness and arm restraints. To be honest, she’s kept safer than most of us driving our SUVs.

Dewey, Ellie and Julie take a break from racing.

Drag racing is something that has been in my husband’s family for many years.  He started drag racing when he was in high school and continues to this day. I, myself, started racing as well a few years back. So this has truly become a family sport. Ellie races on Saturdays, we camp overnight, and my husband and I race on Sundays. Our home track is Bremerton Raceway, which is a very family-friendly track. And the Jr. Dragster program is great.  They really make it all about the kids.

Now, I must confess, this is not a cheap sport. But let’s face it, if your child gets serious about any sport and gets on a select team, etc. it won’t be an inexpensive venture. And where else can you sit and watch good, clean, legally-sanctioned racing? And did I mention that the cars are great to look at? Everything from VW bugs to Diesel trucks, classics and new cars.

So if you are looking for something to keep your kids out of trouble and give them goals, this may be a great sport to try.

We currently have two sponsors for Ellie: Impromptu Portraits and Duke’s Transmission.  But we’re looking for additional sponsors! As you can imagine, keeping three cars going is quite an expense. If you’re interested in sponsoring Ellie or just have questions about the sport, you may contact us by e-mail JulieTallant@aol.com.

Anyone who sponsors we can put the name of their business on the side of her car as an advertisement.

Links of interest:

• www.bremertonraceway.com
• www.impromptuportraits.com – click on gallery then Family and you will see additional pictures of our family and cars
• www.nhra.com

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was written and submitted by BTB Reader Julie Tallant. We encourage all our Readers to submit interesting stories, and ask only that they pertain to something local, are not obvious advertisements, and are interesting. Have any idea? Email us and we'll consider it!]

UPDATE FRI. 3/19 2pm: Just got word from Sgt John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department, who says that the suspect vehicle, “probably a white Honda Civic,” was found parked at a Burien apartment complex; no arrests have yet been made:

“Suspect vehicle (probably a white Honda Civic) struck a parked car(s), mailbox, wall etc. in the 3300 block of S. 172nd.

Car kept going.

We did find the unoccupied suspect car at a Burien apartment complex, but so far have made no arrests.”

PREVIOUSLY: A hit and run accident around dusk Thursday night (March 18) on SW 172nd in Burien’s Three Tree Point neighborhood caused extensive damage to a parked Toyota Corolla as well as destroying a protective wall outside a house.

“We were eating dinner and we heard this incredibly loud noise,” said Rachel, who lives in the house where the wall was damaged. “I was honestly afraid that someone was driving through the wall of our home.”

In addition to damaging the parked car and retaining wall, the suspect vehicle struck a mailbox before driving off. Witnesses reportedly took down a license plate number, and the police were called. Rachel said that it took Burien Police at least two hours to respond to the scene.

“I thought our neighbors were putting their garbage out,” said Terry Haigh, another neighbor. “But then I thought ‘man, they’ve sure got a lot of garbage’ because it was really loud.”

Debris was scattered throughout the street, and a trail could be seen where the suspect car, which was allegedly driving south, struck the parked Toyota, bounced off, hit a mailbox across the street, then drove off.

This isn’t the first accident for this neighborhood, according to Rachel. About a year and a half ago, a protective wall on the other side of their property was hit and destroyed in a similar accident. The street (SW 172nd) is narrower than most, as it is an historic beachfront road that dates back to the very early days of the neighborhood.

“We’ve lived here a couple of years, and cars frequently speed down this street,” Rachel added. “And there are usually kids, joggers, pets, families and people walking around. I’m concerned for the safety of the residents here.”

Here are some pics of the scene as shot by Scott Schaefer Friday morning:

This parked blue Toyota was hit first, and according to residents, would've ended up "going into" the house if it wasn't for the protective wall.

While we were on the scene, the owner of the damaged vehicle appeared to be on the phone talking with his insurance company.

Three Tree Point's SW 172nd is a narrow beachfront street with no sidewalks, and it's very popular for joggers, families, bikers and children.

This mailbox was the last thing hit before the suspect vehicle took off.

The Seattle Times is reporting that a couple from Normandy Park is suing Toyota in federal court, demanding that the company either take back the vehicle they just bought or reimburse them for its loss in value since the automaker’s sudden-acceleration troubles became news.

According to The Times:

The lawsuit alleges that the issues plaguing Toyota violate the state’s Consumer Protection Act and amount to a breach of contract. The lawsuit is a proposed class action and, if certified by a federal judge, could apply to other Toyota owners in Washington with similar issues.

Read the full story here.