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:

On Friday (March 12), we received the following email from BTB Reader Jessica, who was concerned about what she thought was a S.W.A.T. team busting down the door of a Burien house on SW 143rd:

On my way home today at approximately 4:30 I saw about 12 swat team members marching up SW 143rd st. from 4th Ave.

With guns drawn and a battering ram they broke down the front door at XXX SW 143rd Street (ED. NOTE: address removed).

I snapped a photo from my phone and you can vaguely make out the swat team entering the house (see photo below).

As a resident of the neighborhood I am hoping you can find the reason behind this type of police work.

Thank you,
Jessica

Here’s Jessica’s cell phone pic – it’s hard to see clearly, but it appears that something’s going on at the front door:

We contacted Sgt. John Urquhart, Public Information Office of the King County Sheriff’s Department, who sent us this reply:

Not the SWAT team.

One of our neighborhood narcotics units.

The search warrant was for drugs and some cocaine was found.

The resident, age 43, was booked on felony drug charges.

That’s about it.

So, there ya go – it was just another major drug bust, not the S.W.A.T. team.

Just another day in Burien, huh?

The Kent Police Department has created a website showcasing photos of 160 recovered stolen items including electronics, wallets, purses, backpacks, stereos, baby clothes and even a wedding dress; some of which may have been originally swiped in the Burien/South King County area.

According to police, a man and woman who are suspected of breaking into more than 100 cars have been busted. Now, they want to return the stolen items to their rightful owners.

The suspects were apparently caught when they used stolen credit cards at local businesses. Police then followed their trail and recovered the stolen stuff in a storage locker as well as at local pawn shops.

According to the website:

Suspects Mode of Operation:

Type of crime: Vehicle prowls (car break ins)

Method of entry: Break window or force door lock

Types of vehicles: Different types and styles but they favored FORD F-series trucks

Property targeted: luggage, purses, laptop computers, GPS units, assorted tools, backpacks, cameras, MP3 players, I-Pods, cell phones, CD players, car stereos, jewelry, anything of value.

Estimated time range of criminal activity: Past 3-4 months

Focus area of vehicle prowl activity: Kent, Tukwila, Renton, SeaTac, Burien, South Seattle, Unincorporated areas of South King County. Collateral areas that may have been impacted as well are: Des Moines, Federal Way, Auburn, Bellevue.

If you were the victim of a car break-in between Oct. 1, 2009 and Feb. 4, 2010, your stolen items may be in police custody – check this website now and see if you recognize anything; if you do, contact Officer Bateman at (253) 856-5894 or via email: kbateman@ci.kent.wa.us.

The recovered stolen property includes (click on links below to see individual pics):

• Laptops
• Cell phones
• MP3 players
• Car Stereos
• Unusual, miscellaneous stuff like:
  • Baby clothes
  • Wedding dress
  • Ford Truck Manuals
    
  • “Pirate Stuff“
  • Swords
  • “Aiming for Barcelona” Belt Buckle

Some items have been claimed and returned, but most are still in evidence and awaiting rightful return to their owners – so check out the website here.

The Seattle P-I is reporting that a Burien man is facing animal cruelty charges on claims that he beat and drowned his girlfriend’s Pit Bull dog.

According to the P-I, King County prosecutors say that on the night of Jan. 24th, Tyler E. Newman, 24, arrived at Five Corners Animal Hospital in Burien with the dead dog, a 5-year-old pit bull named Mada.

Staff at the animal hospital told investigators that Newman admitted, “I think I drowned my dog.”

Newman allegedly said the dog bit him when he was scolding it for urinating in his home. According to charging papers, Newman said he “just lost it” when the dog bit him again while he was attempting to bathe it.

Read the full story here.

Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer

Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 2nd) around 2pm, a potential domestic disturbance 9-1-1 call in Burien turned into the shooting death of a Pit Bull at an apartment near the intersection of 4th Ave SW and SW 155th.

According to a King County Sheriff’s officer on the scene, the Pit Bull escaped from its apartment when its owner, who was unrelated to the original disturbance call, heard some commotion. The dog then allegedly “charged” a cop, who shot it in self-defense. The officer (or possibly another officer) then had to “euthanize” the injured dog by shooting it again, possibly numerous times, according to witness accounts.

The dog’s body was covered in a yellow tarp when we arrived, as Animal Control officers and police continued to investigate the scene.

A neighbor who witnessed the attack told us that he felt the Pit Bull had endangered and scared other residents and children before.

UPDATE 3/3/10 Noon: We just received a response from Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer, who said:

There is an ongoing investigation of this case so I will need to be somewhat brief in my response.

I can tell you the officer was not bitten.

Dog attacks happen occasionally and like any life/safety issue, the Officers are trained to respond to the level of danger using necessary force.

Some of the other questions may be answered in the course of the investigation.

- Chief K

Here are photos we took on the scene shortly after it happened (WARNING: one pic includes visible dog blood):

The email transcription below was originally posted to the Three Tree Point Yahoo Group, which has seen a recent increase in residents airing concerns about possible suspicious characters in the neighborhood.

According to this specific report, a “suspect” male knocked on the glass door of a home at 5am and asked for help, as if he were stranded. The male member of the household, speaking through the locked door, asked the man to leave his property, yet the suspect didn’t. After switching his story and asking for a cigarette, the male resident displayed a handgun and requested again that the suspect leave, which he finally did.

Later the suspect was seen trying to flag cars down up the road, and that’s when the resident called police, who came to the scene, then found and questioned the suspect. Here’s the exact email thread  (names and addresses have been removed):

The messages below were forwarded from our block watch captains:

From: “Galusha, Roy”
Date: February 26, 2010 7:05:13 AM PST
Subject: RE: BLOCKWATCH ALERT!!! Early morning knocker

Thank you for sending this on to me … It appears that several calls came in on this individual. Someone did flag down Officer Hennesy. Officers Skaar and Fitchett also responded. They made contact with the individual at SW 160 and 15 SW. I heard the detail on my way into work this morning when they were running his name. I did not talk with them, so I don’t know what story he told them. The individual lives in the South end of Des Moines. He had an Obstructing warrant out of Olympia; however, it was non-extraditable (meaning they won’t take him from King County). He was ultimately released because we had no crime or warrant that we could hold him for.

I would like to say that M did an outstanding job of paying attention to detail and forwarding that information on. Her husband did the right thing of confronting the individual from inside the house and refusing to open the door for him. He also let the individual know that he was armed. It is real common if someone is trying to get in or trying to keep you distracted, that if you come up with an answer to one question, to throw another line at you; i.e. if you don’t fall for the fact that he broke down, can you give me some cigarettes. If he needed a ride to work, why didn’t his friend he was visiting give him a ride?

This could have been a legitimate case of the person trying to get a ride to work, to him trying to get into the house to rob them. I don’t know, we probably never know, but the important thing is that the family and neighborhood is safe. We used to have a saying when I was working in the Air Force Security Forces career field.

“Today I prevented 10,000 terrorists from gaining access to the base and blowing up my planes by being ever vigilant and providing a level of force protection.”

If anyone asked how I could prove it, my answer was “Can you disprove it?”

This is the same situation, we can’t prove that he was trying to break in, but you can’t disprove that he wasn’t planning to.

Great job.

Officer Roy Galusha

============

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 6:42 AM
To: Subject: BLOCKWATCH ALERT!!! Early morning knocker

 THANK YOU! M, for reporting this.

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Early morning knocker

This morning at 5 am we had a man knock very loudly on our front door. Our door is completely glass, so my husband was able to see him very clearly and speak to him through it without opening it. The man was African American with a shaved head, approximately 5 ‘ 10″, between the ages of 28 and 32, wearing khaki colored Carhardt-type work jacket and pants. He said he’d been stranded and needed a ride, though my husband noticed he was completely dry and it was raining outside. My husband then told him it was very early and he needed to get off of our property, the man then said he smoked and wondered if we had any smokes? My husband again asked him to leave our property. The man hesitated and then insisted that he was stranded. My husband then showed him a handgun he had grabbed on the way to the door and told him we carry weapons in the neighborhood so you need to be careful and once again firmly asked him to get off our property.

Upon leaving our driveway a Ford 250 type truck drove by and stopped, they appeared to talk though he could have just flagged him down. We then called the non-emergency police number to report the incident, the police responder said she’d received several calls from this area regarding multiple people, she described a “dirty white man and a Hispanic.” After making the report, my husband drove up the street to see what the status was. He saw the same man up the road near 160th frantically trying to flag people down in their cars. My husband then drove back home seeing a police officer on the way. He stopped and directed the officer back to the man to investigate. We believe this man was possibly with a group of men looking to rob homes and somehow got left behind or the ride was scared off. We do not question this man was potentially armed and looking to obtain a vehicle. Either way, he was quite aggressive and insistent in asking us to let him into our home, by repeatedly asking for a ride and then for a cigarette.

This is a good example of what a stranger will do to gain entry, and why you should never open your door. Thanks to everyone for communicating about your respective incidences and if anyone else had a similar experience this morning please notify the group – this block watch really helps us all to be prepared in events such as this.

Best-
XX

============

Date: February 26, 2010 6:35:59 AM PST
Subject: Suspicious person on 25th Ave SW this morning

While on my way to work at 5am this morning, I called 911 to report a suspicious person coming up out of the driveway at 25th SW.

He was a black male, I believe in his 30’s, with a shaved head, and wearing a yellow rain coat. He approached my truck, told me he was visiting a friend, and that his vehicle broke down, and needed a ride to the Burien Park & Ride so he could get to work.

When I told him no, he then asked me for money for a cab. I called 911 immediately.

We highly recommend that our Readers join a local “neighborhood email group” where residents can subscribe and get updates by email (ie: suspicious characters, crime reports, garage sales, missing pets, city issues, etc.), which we see happening down at Three Tree Point.

Here are two good resources where you can search for one near you, or create your own:

• Yahoo Groups
• Google Groups

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the final segment of our interview with Inga Isakson (read Part 1 here), one of two people seriously injured in a beating and animal attack last summer in the Sea-Tac neighborhood. Snaps, the Pit Bull that had been abused by four juveniles before biting Inga and another woman in the attack, is being cared for at Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks. Following the attack, Inga and many others lobbied to save Snaps from being euthanized. A 16-year old girl was sentenced this past fall to 14 months in a juvenile detention center, having pleaded guilty to single counts of second-degree assault, third-degree assault and being a minor in possession of alcohol.]

by Mark Neuman

Inga Isakson told The B-Town Blog previously how she attempted to free Snaps, a Pit Bull, from the beating four young people were putting him through one sunny Sunday evening this past June north of SeaTac airport.

The oldest of the children, a girl who was 15-years old at the time, turned on Inga, hitting her repeatedly, then siccing the Pit Bull on her, as well as on another woman who came to Inga’s aid.

Inga attended the girl’s sentencing hearing this past October and addressed the court, speaking directly to the girl, who had subsequently reached her sixteenth birthday.

“At the sentencing I just stood and spoke from my heart,” Inga told us. “I told (the girl) I was beaten horribly as a child.

“When the girl was beating me it reminded me of  my childhood. It all came back to me.

“I told her in court that I come from a broken home. I had terrible stepdads, six of them. It (the girl’s actions) brought it all back to me. All that horror of being beaten.

“And (the girl) just fell apart in court. She just started sobbing and sobbing. She couldn’t stop crying. It was real, true crying.

“‘I think that your parents should be going to jail for this,’ I told her. I said ‘I wish they could go to jail for you. But you need to learn that what you did was wrong.’

“I said to her ‘I think there is a beautiful person in you. You just snapped that day. I’d like to be an advocate for you.’

“And then they had her talk. And she was crying so hard.”

Inga told us that the girl said in court that every night she would pray that Inga would forgive her, and that she knew what she did was terrible.

“She has been a kid raising herself. She was lost,” Inga said

The girl wrote a letter to Inga a few weeks after sentencing.

“I wrote her back and told her she is going to run into every kind of person (at the juvenile center) and to try to find her passion, and find people who could help her find the beautiful person that is inside her,” Inga said.

In her letter Inga told the girl “she’s going to be challenged every day and to try to hold up under it. I tried to give her advice and be friendly.

“I told her ‘to do what you’re supposed to do.’”

The girl, in her letter to Inga, said she was embarrassed about what had happened and that she has been praying that she would be forgiven and that she still can’t believe that Inga was willing to forgive her.

“She wrote it with a pencil, a full page letter. I really liked her thinking. She obviously is a smart girl.”

The girl’s father spoke at the hearing.

Inga quoted him as saying: “I am (the girl’s) real father. I lost contact with her when she was six months old. I take as much responsibility as anybody in this courtroom as to why she is the way she is because I have been a completely absent father.

“I want to try to be with my daughter. I know it’s really late, but I want to see what I can do.”

“I hope that her dad does what he says he’s going to do,” Inga said. “Maybe he can go to her. I can’t imagine her going back to (her original) school after being in juvenile detention for a year. She’d just get taunted and torn apart.

“I want to know how the story goes for her.

“People have got to step up,” Inga Isakson told us. “Our communities are going downhill. But I believe if we all take a step to make our communities better, that’s all it takes. It’s just one step at a time.

And I’ll do it.”

The Des Moines Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the man who was photographed by security cameras (see pics below) during a Redondo bank robbery on Saturday, Feb. 13th.

The bank robbery took place around 4pm last Saturday at the Wells Fargo Bank inside the Safeway store at the Redondo Square shopping complex, located at South 272nd and Pacific Highway South.

According to police, the suspect told the bank teller he had a gun and demanded money.

No weapon was seen and no one was injured during the robbery.

The suspect was last seen leaving the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect is described as:

• Black male with a very light skin complexion
• About 6′2″ tall
• Thin build
• In his 20s
• Dark colored “beanie hat”
• Dark (or black) hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants
• Silver-rimmed sunglasses

Here are two security cam pics – recognize this guy? Anyone with information about this case should call the Des Moines Police immediately at 206-878-3301 or dial 911:

Story and Photos by Mark Neuman

I sat down recently for an exclusive interview with one of the survivors of a beating and animal attack last summer in the SeaTac neighborhood.

The attack has made famous a Pit Bull named Snaps (read our previous coverage here), and resulted in a teenage girl being sentenced to over a year in jail.

To begin to understand what happened that June 21, a sunny Sunday evening, one must realize that Inga Isakson has been, informally, a rescuer of abused dogs for some time.

“In the past, I have offered to BUY dogs from people when it’s obvious they’ve been mistreating them,” Inga said over coffee in a Burien restaurant.

“I have rescued dogs for about ten years all by myself. I have taken many of the dogs to a halfway house in north Seattle where a kind and wonderful elderly gentleman takes care of them.

“June 21st was Father’s Day. It also happened to be the longest day of the year,” Inga said. “It was really hot and really light out. I was going to run my (two) dogs at around 6pm or so. I was in my car driving” southbound through the Sea-Tac area, north of the airport.

“I noticed movement to my right. All I could see were silhouettes behind a tree covered with ivy.”

The silhouettes, as it turned out, were those of a then 15-year old girl and three younger boys. The were kicking and beating a Pit Bull, about a year old.

“So I understood these kids were hiding. If I were an artist I would draw the silhouettes because the image is stuck in my mind,” Inga recollected. “These four silhouettes images were bent over. Eight fists and eight feet pounding and pummeling some living thing on the ground.

“And so I slowed down to get to the other side of the tree to see what was going on. I did not know if they were beating up a child or what.”

Inga pulled her car closer to the four young people.

“I realized it was a dog and I realized I needed to think fast. I did not want to seem to be challenging them. I knew they were doing something wrong.

“I rolled down the passenger side window about ten inches. The door was locked.

“I needed the dog to not be with them. I also knew there were four of them and one of me.

“I called out: ‘Are you kids okay?’ Really, I wanted to say something else. I did not want them to feel they were in a fight with me,” Inga told us. “The oldest, who was a young woman (fifteen years of age), came so close to my car window, she was in my space, that close.

“And it bothered me. I felt challenged, which I tried to avoid. I was trying to be nice.

“Her face was right in my window. She said ‘What do you want, bitch? This is none of your business. I can kill my dog if I want to.’

“She was screaming at me: ‘What are you, the cops?’

“‘I could be,’ I responded. ‘Would you like me to call them?’

“She reached in through my passenger window and unlocked my door. Oh boy!

“She just jumped in my car and grabbed me by my hair. Started ripping my hair out and screaming at me: ‘You bitch! You bitch! I wish you were dead!’

“I had my cell phone in my left hand. I extended my left arm away from her and tried to dial 9-1-1 with my left hand.

“She was yanking at me. My seat belt, which was still fastened, was kind of hanging me.

“But she saw the cell phone in my hand so she let go of my hair and grabbed the cell phone out of my hand.

“She had ripped a lot of the hair out of the right side of my head. She started hitting me on the right side of my head with my cell phone, while pulling my hair with her free hand.

“The attack  seemed to last two minutes. I was able to unfasten my seat belt and was able to elbow her with my right arm.”

Inga ran from her car and managed to get to middle of Des Moines Memorial Drive screaming “call 9-1-1! Call 9-1-1!” over and over.

“I thought it (the attack) was over. Then she (the girl) ran around the back of my car and attacked me again.

“The girl kneed me. I put my hands up to cover my head.

“Meanwhile, my brain said there are cars stopped. Someone has GOT to help me!” Inga said.

“There were about seven cars, three or four stopped” in both the northbound and southbound lanes.

She estimated the attack in the street lasted seven minutes.

The people in the seven cars watched, apparently doing nothing to help her. This was in a residential area with houses set back from the road.

“I’ll never forget this one woman in a grey sedan, just her, no passengers in her car,” Inga recalled. “She was about in her mid-50’s with blondish or grey curly hair. She just sat there and watched and did nothing.

“She seemed embarrassed! Like a wimp! She could have honked her horn or driven slowly into the gang. She just sat there.

“I had my arms over my head to protect myself while the girl was hitting me on my head and I looked down to my left. And there was the dog, just looking up at me with his tongue hanging out, panting the way a dog does. It was like he had a smile on his face and he just wanted to play.

“The girl was yelling at me: ‘I wish you were dead!’

“The dog had a clear shot at my face. I thought ‘this dog could bite my face off.’

“Then one kid kicked the dog three times really hard until the dog bit me in the leg.

“I think the dog was just confused. He was just happy not to have all four beating on him.”

A red pick up truck appeared, driving along the shoulder. The driver got out.

“A guy in his forties started yelling ‘The cops are here! The cops are here!’ He meant the cops were on their way, but that was enough to get the four kids running off along with the dog into a park.

“Then this wonderful lady drove up in a van, right at the time the kids ran away with the dog into the park,” Inga said.

“This lady (in the van) had such a look of conviction on her face. I saw that she was not going to let this happen. She was not going to let these kids get away.

“She took her van and drove it right across the park and into the woods. I didn’t see it, but she confronted the kids.

“She was not going to let them out of her sight. I was told later that this woman got out of her van. She said to the kids: ‘I won’t approach you, and don’t approach me. You’re not getting away with this.’”

Meanwhile the paramedics had arrived and were treating Inga. “I was kind of ‘shocky.’ My left arm was bleeding from the girl scratching me,” Inga said.

“I looked over, and here comes the woman (who had driven up in the van) walking towards us through the woods. She just kind of ‘appeared,’ and she was covered with blood.

Moments earlier, in the park, with the woman’s teenage daughter watching from inside the van, she, too, was attacked by the girl and the dog.

“I saw her and I said to the paramedics ‘Leave me! Go help her! I’m okay!

“That woman was my hero. That wonderful woman made the mistake of getting out of her van.

“She did the mother thing in the woods. She said ‘You kids stay right there.’ The girl jumped up and head butted her and broke her nose.

“The kids all kicked and beat her and kicked the dog until he finally bit the woman’s arm bad, clear through to the bone.

“I called her later,” Inga said. “She has lots of family and support and wants to keep to herself. Her daughter was in the van and saw her mom beaten and attacked.

“I step up always,” Inga said. “I would do the same thing again. That group of kids could have killed somebody another time.”

Next: Inga speaks at the sentencing hearing and, later, corresponds with the girl.

Read Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Inga here.

On Wednesday (Feb. 27th), STITA and Farwest taxi companies sent letters to Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag and Attorney General Rob McKenna, urging an investigation into the Port of Seattle.

This follows a recent, fast-paced rash of two lawsuits filed against the Port for its alleged mishandling of switching cab vendors over from STITA to Yellow Cab (read our previous coverage here).

The letter to the State Auditor asks him to investigate the Port’s handing of the entire on-demand taxicab RFP (Request For Proposal) process, which resulted in the two recent lawsuits.

The letter to Attorney General McKenna requests not only for an investigation of the Port, but also of lobbyist Chris Van Dyk, who is accused of collusion in the RFP process.

“It’s time for the auditor and the attorney general to step in,” said STITA spokesperson Jesse Buttar in a statement. “We hope they will take a careful look at the allegations against the Port.”

We got in touch with Perry Cooper, Media Officer for the Port, who said:

“Understand we have just received this and will review our records again…but we are still emphasizing that we are confident the RFP and bidding process was fair, open and transparent.

We have reviewed our approach continually throughout a thoughtful and thorough RFP and bidding process.

We are aware of no facts that would support allegations of collusion.

At no time during the process did anyone file an official complaint.

We were not aware of these allegations until the suit was filed.”

Both letters are enclosed below, and are available also for download here (both as PDF files):

• Letter to State Auditor Sonntag (PDF File)
• Letter to Attorney General McKenna (PDF File)

by Scott Schaefer

We love to share good news here at The B-Town Blog, and that’s why we’re posting this update on Jeff Kearney, the mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run last November in White Center (read our previous coverage here).

Jeff was recently discharged from Burien Nursing and Rehab, where he had been staying for the last several weeks after spending time at both Harborview and Highline Medical Center.

He is now recuperating at his home, and Burien Rehab Director Nate Neff sent us this email update:

Scott –

I just wanted to give you a quick update.

Jeff Kearney went home yesterday.

He had been wanting to go home for several days and had been vocalizing it. He has made quite the journey from his tragic accident. While here his feeding tube was removed and he began eating on his own, his cognition cleared up and he was able to clearly speak his needs and wants. Also, his strength increased greatly and he became able to propel himself in his wheelchair. He is still planning on getting some more rehab at home but Jeff was ready to go home.

We wish him the best of luck and are grateful for the opportunity to care for him.

- Nate

On Friday (Feb. 12th), we caught up with Jeff in person at the Mark Restaurant and Bar, where we found him enjoying a Roy Rogers drink, courtesy his good friend and Discover Burien Events Supervisor Debra George.

Jeff sat at a table near the bar, with his protective helmet sitting in a chair nearby.

We spoke with him for a few moments, mostly small talk, and noticed that his old, familiar smile was still there. We asked him how he was feeling, what he was doing, and his face lit up on the occasions we mentioned various Burien-based women and the hugs he associates with them. While a bit slow to respond, Jeff seemed keenly intent on resuming his friendly relationships with many locals, and it was an uplifting experience to see, especially considering how terribly he was struck and injured (reports say the SUV/truck that hit him was going around 35mph).

Debra George reminded us though that he still needs help walking, but is getting stronger with each day.

This man has come a long way, but he still has a way to go, and we wish him the best. We have a feeling that by the time the Farmer’s Market opens again in May that he’ll be back to his old self.

Sadly, the hit-and-run driver is apparently still at large. A $1,000 reward remains in effect, and the investigation is continuing.

The suspect vehicle, which struck Jeff in a crosswalk on 16th SW and SW 106th in White Center, had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

If you recognize the suspect vehicle or have any leads, please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

And if you wish to visit Jeff or send him your wishes, feel free to contact Debra George at the Mark Restaurant at (206) 241-MARK.

A hit-and-run rampage happened Monday night around 7:45pm in White Center when a van struck at least four different vehicles before fleeing to Burien.

The crime occurred at the intersection of 4th Ave SW and SW Roxbury before the driver drove off and later abandoned his van in Burien.

According to Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department:

There was a H & R accident at 4th & Roxbury last night about 7:45 PM.

The driver of the other car was taken to Harborview with non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect vehicle took off striking a car, (causing considerable damage) at Olson & Myers Way, then continuing southbound.

My understanding is that other cars were hit as well as it drove on.

The suspect car finally pulled into a random driveway at SW 130th and 8th Ave South.

The driver and two passengers fled on foot and could not be located, even with a K-9 dog.

The suspect vehicle was a 2000 Toyota Siena.

The hit and run driver is still at large, and the reasoning for the crime is still undetermined.

B-Town Blogger Diana Arney’s Burien house was burglarized on Monday (Feb. 1st), sometime between 9am and 1pm. Diana lives near Puget Sound Park, and the burglar forced their way into her home via a side door.

We’re posting this story in hopes that it can help alert our Readers to be better prepared for these kinds of crimes, which seem to be on the upswing in this down economy.

Here’s how Diana describes her experience:

Just wanted to give you a heads up about a burglary that occurred at my home this afternoon. The incident occurred sometime between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on the block of SW 126th St. and 2nd Pl. SW, very close to Puget Sound Park. The suspect(s) forcefully entered my home via the side door, splintering the door and frame. They locked my dog in a room of the house and stole an LG 42″ LCD TV, a new Compaq laptop computer and an Xbox 360 with games.

A witness stated that they saw a black, Volkswagen sedan suspiciously driving in front of the house between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. I called the Sheriff’s office and a deputy came out to the house to write up the report. While the deputy was at the house I heard another call from her radio stating that there had been another house burglary in the area, and two teenagers were the primary suspects.

I was told by the sheriff’s deputy that these burglaries are common in the area, especially in the early afternoon when kids get out of school and many people are still at work. One additional note: while the sheriff deputy was quite helpful and thorough, it took her two hours to respond. I understand it wasn’t an emergency, but I’m curious how the response time will be affected once Burien annexes the area.

We had to screw down the side door for the night. We believe the suspects opened the gate in our driveway that leads to the backyard (and side door). I believe then they must have backed their car up in the driveway to the side of my house, and loaded up their car with my stuff. In the last picture, it shows a foot stool in our family room (where the TV was) that is normally located outside near the side door. We have no idea what the burglars were thinking, placing the stool there. The only thing above the stool are the ceiling fans.

Not sure if this is “post-worthy” or not, but it might be a good heads-up for people in the area to read about and be aware of.

Thanks!
Diana Arney

Here are photos taken at the scene of the crime:

And here are some crime prevention tips courtesy the Normandy Park Police Department:

Most burglaries occur on Monday through Friday in the daytime.

The crooks are depending on everyone being at work or school.

Many burglars have confessed upon arrest and reported they knocked on the front door or rang the bell to make sure no one was home. If someone answers the door they tell them they are lost or looking for their lost dog or some other such excuse.

Surprisingly citizens rarely doubt the burglar’s reason for being on their front porch and do not call the police. If a stranger knocks on your front door you do not have to open your door. You should make sure they know you are home and telling them to leave your property from behind a solid door is a great option. Then call us.

Most car prowls occur in hours of darkness where the thief depends on the cover of darkness to hide his criminal behavior. Often our follow up investigations reveal the thieves broke into an unlocked car. There were cars close by that were locked and untouched.

• Lock your doors. It is a simple way to prevent so much crime.
• Install motions lights. They are now very reasonably priced and easy to install. The crooks do not wish to be illuminated during the commission of their crime.
• Alarm systems, dead bolts, motion detector light systems, dogs, peep holes and other such simple crime prevention tools work very well.
• Do not advertise your new purchases or Christmas gifts. A cardboard box from a new 50 inch TV sitting next to the cardboard recycle bin lets everyone driving by know exactly what is in your house.

Never leave your purse or wallet on a counter top or table top that can be seen from the front door. Likewise never leave a purse or wallet on a car seat even if you are “just going to be away one minute.” That is when the opportunistic thief takes your wallet, credit cards and cash.

The Seattle P-I reported Tuesday (Feb. 1st) that three men and a woman are facing charges that they kidnapped, beat and sexually assaulted a woman in an area north of Sea-Tac Airport.

The story claims that Candice Sanders, 23, Christapher White, 21, Luis Perez, 22, and Troy O’Dell, 25, held the unidentified female victim for two days at a home near the airport, where Sanders allegedly beat her.

Other times she was allegedly gang-raped by two of the male suspects in front of her their children.

The woman, who was hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center after the attack, told King County deputies that she had been assaulted, court documents show. Perez, O’Dell and White were apparently arrested later that day, as was Sanders.

A search done after the attack apparently turned up evidence of weapons, body armor and large amounts of prescription painkillers.

Read the full story here.

The family of deceased Burien man Mark Ebinger (pictured, left), 25, who was stabbed to death outside Good Time Ernie’s last November, has increased the reward offered to $10,000 in hopes of generating tips that will lead to an arrest.

Mark and his brother Peter, 24, were attacked outside the Burien bar on the morning of November 12, 2009. Mark died from stab wounds at the scene. Peter was stabbed numerous times, but survived.

Detectives believe there were several witnesses to the attack, and these witnesses might have information that could solve the case.

The homicide occurred outside Good Time Ernie’s Pub,  located at 15747 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien.

As we reported on Dec. 28, 2009 when we attended the family’s first press conference at the King County Sheriff’s office:

Peter recalled the attack, saying that a “few words were spoken to someone who was with us in the bar, and I told Mark we should leave…and as we left a group of guys came out the other door, a bottle was thrown at us, then they came at us with knives.”

“I was just scared, and was trying to get away,” Peter said. He also added that Mark was “kind of far away” from him in the parking lot at the time of the attack.

The Ebinger Family at the Dec. 28th press conference.

Peter also added that “someone else had words with one of the guys in the other group…” and he had no idea what was said, but is certain that the attacker(s) were in that group.

Once outside, “one guy came up in my face and tried to take a swing at me and another guy hit me from behind,” Peter continued. “I got stabbed probably six or seven times in the back…”

Peter said he’s “not planning on going back” to Goodtime Ernie’s anytime soon, “and no one I know is going back…”

Despite numerous rumors, there is no definite word on whether the attackers are part of a gang.

Mark Ebinger's brother Peter was also stabbed, but survived.

“We’re all very upset and angry, and well, you can imagine…”

Mark worked at a printing press and mostly did manual labor.

Regarding Mark’s death, Peter said: “It happened real fast and he didn’t feel much pain…”

The investigation is still ongoing.

“We know that someone out there knows something, saw something, or has heard something,” said Jim Laing. “…and that information might seem insignificant to them but it could be the information that cracks this case and we’re appealing to anyone who has any information to come forward.”

Laing continued: “No homicide case is ever closed until it’s closed, and this will remain open until it’s solved.”

On our original Nov. 12th report, there are now 105 Comments, which make for some very interesting reading – see it here – many comments are in scolding tones to those who were there that night but have refused to come forward to identify the suspect(s). Perhaps this higher reward will change that?

Crimestoppers is also offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information on the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours), or 9-1-1.

This week marks the fourth anniversary of the death of Nicole Pietz, who was last seen at her Lynnwood home by her husband on January 27, 2006.

The body of Pietz, 32, was found strangled Feb. 6, 2006, in a wooded area near South 114th and Des Moines Memorial Drive in Burien (see map below).

Her car, a 2003 Jetta was found in the University District about two weeks later.

After four years, this case remains unsolved, according to Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department.

The reward for information on the case that leads to an arrest or conviction is at $36,000. In addition, Gail Schneider, Nicole’s mother, has said the family will pay the legal costs for anyone who comes forward with information germane to the case, but wishes to use the services of an attorney.

The case is active and still under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit.

Here are some photos provided by the family of Nicole:

Pietz’ body was found in Burien in a wooded area near South 114th and Des Moines Memorial Drive:

View Larger Map

Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hrs).

Normandy Park City Hall was evacuated and closed for most of Thursday, Jan. 28th, after a bomb threat was left on a city official’s voicemail Wednesday night claiming to blow up the building at “around Noon.”

According to a Normandy Park Police spokeswoman, the building went into “lockdown” mode around 10am this morning, when city hall was shut down and all employees were evacuated and sent home for the day.

After the evacuation, Port of Seattle Police brought in their bomb squad, which includes bomb-sniffing dogs, and checked the building for around an hour. Officers from the Des Moines Police Department also helped out.

No bomb was found.

However, city hall was shut down for the day, and it will not re-open until tomorrow.

As for the bomb threat itself, police say the caller ID was traced to Minnesota, and they’re considering it a hoax.

Lots of Readers have been asking about Jeff Kearney, the mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run last November in White Center (read our previous coverage here) and has been staying at BTB Advertiser Burien Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Debra George says:

Jeff is doing better and although his memory comes and goes he seems to be having better days.

They say he will be able to walk well enough to be discharged from his current rehab facility in two weeks.

He then will enter another rehab facility for three weeks where they will work on motor skills.

They think he will be able to go home after that, and continue with some outpatient treatment.

Once he is out, I am planning on picking him up and bringing him into Burien everyday just so he can go to some of his familiar places.

Far as we know, the hit-and-run driver is still at large, there is still a $1,000 reward, and the investigation is continuing.

The suspect vehicle had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

If you recognize the suspect vehicle or have any leads, please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

And if you wish to visit Jeff or send him your wishes, feel free to contact Burien Nursing & Rehab at 206-242-3213 or email admissions@burienrehab.com.

The King County Sheriff’s Department reports that a 22-year old Burien man was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday morning (Jan. 26th) around 1am while walking near Chelsea Park when two men approached him, brandished a gun to his chest and stole his cell phone.

According to Sgt. John Urquhart, both suspects then ran away, but were chased by the victim. When they saw this the suspects popped off a few shots at him, which generated several “shots fired” calls to 911.

The victim didn’t give up though – police say that he caught up with the two men in Chelsea Park (at SW 136th and 8th Ave SW) and starting fighting with the unarmed one. But the one with the gun pistol-whipped the victim on the back of the head. The fight ended when both fighters got tired and the two suspects “ran’ off again.

One deputy looking for the ‘shots fired” call found the victim staggering down the street with head lacerations. A K-9 unit tracked one of the suspects to the park nearby, and also found the gun that was used hidden under a garbage can along with the stolen cell phone.

The victim, a Burien man, was treated and released.

The captured suspect, a Seattle man, age 19, was taken to the hospital and stitched up before being booked in jail for investigation of Robbery.

The second suspect was not located.

One man was arrested when a marijuana “grow house” operation was busted in the Top Hat neighborhood Friday morning, Jan. 22nd by Bellevue Police, working with the King County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team.

“This was a joint mission with the Eastside Narcotics Task Force (ENTF) and SWAT on a search warrant for a grow house in Burien,” said Officer Carla Iafrate, Bellevue Police Public Information Officer. ”A couple flash bangs were used for distraction when breaching the doorway.  One adult male was arrested.”

The ENTF is a partnership of the King County Sheriff’s Office and police departments from Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland and Mercer Island.

Bellevue P.D. was apparently involved because it was serving the search warrant, according to Sgt. John Urquhart of the Sheriff’s Department.

No other details of the operation are available at this time.

Early Saturday morning (Jan. 23rd) a Metro bus driver, 56, was assaulted in Tukwila, receiving injuries that sent her to Valley Medical Center. Three persons were later arrested, one for the assault and two for vandalizing the bus.

And as police were converging on the scene, a King County Sheriff’s police cruiser crashed into one from a Tukwila Police officer. The Tukwila officer was treated at the scene, while the Sheriff’s deputy was taken to Valley Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

The incident occurred just after midnight, when the Metro Route 124 bus stopped in Tukwila at South 144th and International Blvd. to let passengers off. A group of seven or eight youths gathered at the back door but only two got off before the doors closed. At least some of the group went to the front of the bus and the driver was punched in the head several times, knocking her unconscious.

Meanwhile two suspects kicked and hit the rear door of the vehicle, breaking glass and bending the door frame. All suspects then ran off.

A Tukwila Police K-9 dog tracked the group to a house in the 13700 block of 45th Ave South. Eight people were detained. Eventually witnesses from the bus identified three people who were directly involved in the altercation. They were arrested.

All three were booked into the Youth Center, including a 15 year-old boy from Renton, for felony assault. Two males were booked for felony vandalism, ages 16 and 17, from Tukwila and Kent, respectively.

A passenger called 9-1-1 from the bus after the assault, and as two police cars came to the scene, they crashed into each other.

The King County Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday (Jan. 19th) that they have arrested two men they allege had committed numerous “takeover” robberies, including the Jan. 13th one of the Silver Dollar Casino in SeaTac.

The men were alleged to be involved in robberies of casinos, a bank, and a check cashing business in SeaTac, Renton, Shoreline, Lynnwood and Snohomish County.

According to Sgt. John Urquhart, during these takeover robberies, the men would typically wear masks and gloves, as well as often carrying shotguns in each hand. These types of crimes are dramatic, and are considered especially dangerous to victims, witnesses and bystanders.

The two bad guys were arrested Friday morning (Jan. 15th) around 1:45am, after a Shoreline patrol sergeant noticed a suspicious vehicle parked near two casinos on N. 167th. He pulled in behind the car and the driver quickly drove off. A short pursuit ensued until the sergeant used a PIT maneuver and the car was stopped near NE 163rd and Ashworth. The driver took off running and the passenger was taken into custody. The arrested man is 46 years old from Seattle.

The driver initially escaped, but evidence recovered led detectives to believe these two were involved in numerous armed robberies.

After further investigation, the second man was arrested at his home in Edmonds late Friday afternoon. He is 34 years old.

Detectives from at least four jurisdictions were looking for these two armed robbers who “takeover” the business being robbed.

Takeover-style robberies are considered especially dangerous to victims, witnesses, and bystanders. These robbers are considered armed and dangerous!

In some of the robberies one of the suspects carries a shotgun in one hand and a shotgun the other.

Robbery Details: Both robbers wore masks and gloves. A puffy black jacket was worn in several of the robberies. One of the robbers fires his gun into the air during two of the robberies.

Here’s the dates and locations of the robberies:

• October 26th 1:40pm. Check to Cash in Renton on Rainier Ave South. A shotgun and pistol were displayed.
• October 29th 3:00pm. Bank of America in Lynnwood along SW 196th. One suspect has guns in both hands, a shotgun and pistol. The other man is armed “only” with a pistol. A shot is fired as they exit the bank.
• November 13th 6:30am. Goldie’s Casino in Shoreline. Only one suspect inside the casino, armed with a shotgun and pistol. He robs the casino’s cash cage and gets into a waiting vehicle driven by another suspect. A shot is fired as he flees the area.
• December 2nd 7:00pm. Royal Casino, Snohomish County, along SR99. Lone robber armed with a shotgun and pistol.
• January 13th 5:00am. Silver Dollar Casino, City of SeaTac along International Blvd. Two suspects, one armed with a shotgun and pistol, the other with a pistol.

In addition, other area robberies may be related but have not yet been linked.

Formal charges are expected later this week.

Here’s surveillance video from Goldie’s Casino of these robbers in action:

According to The Seattle P-I, a man was busted by Seattle SWAT officers on Jan. 7th outside the Burien Fred Meyer for allegedly trying to sell “cop killer” guns.

The story alleges that the man, a known sex offender, was also part of a white supremacist gang in prison, as well as having a long history of assaulting police officers and other assorted crimes.

The suspect, 36, has not yet been charged with gun crimes, but rather for failing to register as a sex offender. He also has a pending 2009 King County Superior Court charge for possession of a stolen vehicle.

The P-I goes on to say that police also found what they believe to be evidence of identity fraud in the man’s possession, including:

• An Acer Aspire laptop
• An All-In-One printer
• A black nylon bag containing documents and mail, blank checks, bank statements and other financial documents

Read the full story here.

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

On the busy 12400 block of Ambaum Blvd., a quiet, makeshift memorial stands as a tribute to Mikarah Nasabreo Sanders, the 15-year old girl who was shot and killed by her 16-year old boyfriend on New Year’s Eve, who later shot himself.

Sadly, Sanders died from her wounds and the male suspect is still being treated (and guarded) at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle (read our previous coverage here). King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg has said that the suspect will likely be charged as an adult with murder in connection with Sanders’ death.

The most recent reports we’ve heard are that the suspect was upset with something he read on Sanders’ MySpace page. Other reports say that the couple argued frequently.

Like most temporary memorials, this one’s got photos protected by plastic sleeves, melted candles and notes, as well as some odd and ironic items like a mysterious, open, black umbrella (we’re not sure of its significance – anyone know? UPDATE: Occam’s Razor called and told us that it was probably placed there to protect the shrine from rain), and an empty peach vodka bottle lying next to stuffed animals – all as a tribute to a life lost way too early.

Scott Schaefer stopped by Thursday morning (Jan. 7th) and shot this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

On a personal note, we’re getting kinda tired of seeing these memorials all around the Burien area. Let’s get along peeps!

Jeff Kearney, the well-known mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run on Nov. 17th in White Center (read our previous coverage here) has been moved to BTB Advertiser Burien Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Jeff was moved from Highline’s Specialty Campus in Tukwila to Burien Rehab just before Christmas.

Debra George says:

They are working on getting him walking and moving his right side better.

He is beginning to eat on his own some.

And Burien Rehab’s Nate Neff adds:

Jeff is here and we are happy to have him.

Jeff arrived just before Christmas on Dec. 23. and has adjusted to Burien Rehab and this new setting.

He is currently making gradual improvements and participates in physical and occupational therapy daily.

The therapy team is working on Jeff’s ability to stand as well as his hand eye coordination.

Jeff continues to progress and we enjoy having him here.

Here’s a pic of Jeff courtesy Burien Rehab – check out his groovy goatee!:

Far as we know, the hit-and-run driver is still at large, there is still a $1,000 reward, and the investigation is continuing.

The suspect vehicle had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

If you recognize the suspect vehicle or have any leads, please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

And if you wish to visit Jeff or send him your wishes, feel free to contact Burien Nursing & Rehab at 206-242-3213 or email admissions@burienrehab.com.

UPDATE TUES. 1/5/10: The 15-year old girl who was fatally shot on New Year’s Eve in Burien has been identified as Mikarah Nasabreo Sanders by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sanders was shot in the head by her 16-year old former boyfriend around 9:30pm on Thursday, Dec. 31st at an apartment complex in the 12400 block of Ambaum Blvd. SW.

She later died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The shooter, who also shot himself in an apparent suicide attempt, is still under police supervision at Harborview while he recovers.

Authorities say that he’ll likely will be charged with murder for this crime, and is expected to be charged as an adult.

PREVIOUSLY:

The King County Sheriff’s Department released more information on the double shooting that happened Thursday night (Dec. 31st), and here’s the latest, as of 1:45pm Jan. 1st:

King County Deputies responded to a double shooting last night at an apartment complex located at 12445 Ambaum Blvd SW.

When deputies arrived at 9.30 PM they found a juvenile male and a juvenile female both suffering gunshot wounds.

The female later died from her wounds and the male is being treated in hospital for what appears to be a serious but non life threatening gunshot wound.

At this time detectives are continuing their inquiries.

The preliminary investigation indicates the juvenile male shot the female and likely shot himself; however, detectives have not had the opportunity to interview him.

He is under police guard at hospital while the investigation continues.

PREVIOUSLY:

KING-TV reports that a “double shooting” happened Thursday night (Dec. 31st) around 9:30pm at an apartment complex located at SW 124th and Ambaum Blvd.

One of the victims, a teenage girl, died last night from her injuries; a 16-year-old boy was severely injured. Both were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The shooter remains at large, and no description has been released. As of 10:30am Friday (Jan. 1st), reports are that the gunman was actually the 16-year old boy; we’re still awaiting word back from police on this and will update as soon as we learn more.

“We are currently guarding the male half at Harborview,” said Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer Friday morning. “I am not sure if the reports have the complete story but I have nothing else right now.”

According to police, the two victims were found in separate apartments, and reports are that an argument apparently led to the shootings.

We’ll post more info as we get it, so stay tuned.

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

It must’ve been the absolute toughest Christmas ever for the Ebinger family of Burien, as they had to celebrate without their son Mark, 25, who was fatally stabbed outside Goodtime Ernie’s Nov. 12th.

On Monday (Dec. 28th), the family held a press conference at the King County Sheriff’s office in downtown Seattle, where they offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) in the fatal stabbing.

Acting Public Information Officer Jim Laing spoke, along with Mark’s brother Peter (who was also stabbed), 24, as his distraught parents, sister and girlfriend sat nearby, solemnly holding back tears; here’s the raw MP3 of the conference:

[display_podcast]

Peter recalled the attack, saying that a “few words were spoken to someone who was with us in the bar, and I told Mark we should leave…and as we left a group of guys came out the other door, a bottle was thrown at us, then they came at us with knives.”

“I was just scared, and was trying to get away,” Peter said. He also added that Mark was “kind of far away” from him in the parking lot at the time of the attack.

Peter also added that “someone else had words with one of the guys in the other group…” and he had no idea what was said, but is certain that the attacker(s) were in that group.

Once outside, “one guy came up in my face and tried to take a swing at me and another guy hit me from behind,” Peter continued. “I got stabbed probably six or seven times in the back…”

Peter said he’s “not planning on going back” to Goodtime Ernie’s anytime soon, “and no one I know is going back…”

Despite numerous rumors, there is no definite word on whether the attackers are part of a gang.

“We’re all very upset and angry, and well, you can imagine…”

Mark worked at a printing press and mostly did manual labor.

Regarding Mark’s death, Peter said: “It happened real fast and he didn’t feel much pain…”

The investigation is still ongoing.

“We know that someone out there knows something, saw something, or has heard something,” said Jim Laing. “…and that information might seem insignificant to them but it could be the information that cracks this case and we’re appealing to anyone who has any information to come forward.”

Laing continued: “No homicide case is ever closed until it’s closed, and this will remain open until it’s solved.”

If anyone has any information on this case, they should call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-274-6313.

$4,000 of the reward money comes from the Ebinger family, and $1,000 from Crimestoppers.

Here’s a video report on this case from KING-TV:

Read our previous coverage of this tragic incident here.

The King County Sheriff’s Department alerts us that Peter K. Ebinger, 24, the brother of Mark K. Ebinger, 25, who was the victim of a fatal stabbing at Burien’s Goodtime Ernie’s last month, will hold a press conference on Monday, Dec. 28th.

Peter, 24, will offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who killed his brother, who was 25.

We’ll have a Reporter and Photographer on the scene Monday and will give a full report next week.

Here’s the text from an email we received from Sgt. Jim Laing:

On 11/12/09 at approx. 1.45 AM a large group attacked two brothers outside Good Time Ernies in Burien. Both brothers were stabbed several times and one died at the scene.

The deceased was identified as Mark K. Ebinger. His brother, Peter K. Ebinger spent several days in hospital but will recover from his wounds.

Detectives believe there are witnesses who have not come forward and that these witnesses have information that would help the investigation.

On December 28, 2009 at 1.30pm Peter Ebinger will speak to the Press and offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who killed his brother.

The Press Event will be held in Sheriff Rahr’s office, King County Courthouse, 3rd and James, 1st floor.

BTB Reader Phillip Levine reports that a very unique sculpture was stolen from his yard recently, and he sent us this info and photo in case any other readers have seen it:

Bronze sculpture by Tom Jay, measuring 80″ high x 9″ in diameter.

Taken from my home the other day, which is located near Arbor Lake and the old Puget Sound Jr. High (aka Puget Sound Park).

Here’s a pic of it – have you seen this?:

If you know the whereabouts of this distinctive-yet-missing sculpture, please email Phillip Levine ASAP at:

levinepr@comcast.net

Here’s the latest update on Jeff Kearney, the well-known mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run on Nov. 17th in White Center (read our previous coverage here).

According to Debra George, who visits him almost daily at Highline Medical Center’s Specialty Campus in Tukwila:

Jeff is starting to eat by mouth some, but is still very scattered memory wise – it seems to come and go.

He is not able to get up out of bed yet, but he is able to be in a wheelchair.

He had his trach out on Tuesday and he is talking pretty good. He is getting items in his head mixed up but he is saying some of his old lines, such as “whats your name?”

It seems as he tires he gets more confused on who people are and his short term memory is not so good – such as I come in and he says I know you, your Debra George and then a little later in the conversation he tells me to tell Debra hi for him.

Each day it seems to get better, we are hoping they will start to get him up and in physical therapy for his arms and legs next.

- Debra George
Discover Burien, Event Manager

The hit-and-run driver is still at large, there is still a $1,000 reward, and the investigation is continuing. The suspect vehicle had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

If you recognize the suspect vehicle or have any leads, please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

If you’d like to visit Jeff, he’s taking visitors now at his location at Highline Medical Center’s Specialty Campus, which is located at 12844 Military Rd South in Tukwila (phone: 206-244-0180). Jeff is in room #229.

Here’s the latest update on Jeff Kearney, the well-known mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run on Nov. 17th in  White Center (read our previous coverage here).

According to Debra George, who visited him on Sunday, Dec. 6th:

Jeff is slowly making good progress. He is awake most of the time. He is been doing good at moving his legs and arms, taking commands. Yesterday I asked him to raise one finger, then two and so on – he did very well. I left him with the challenge last night to move his mouth – try and smile, and this morning I am happy to say he moved his mouth and smiled a bit, he even tried to mouth some words.

The doctors say that him might get his tracheotomy out this week and begin to work with a speech therapist. Next week he will be sent back to Harborview where they will look at his hips again – then back to Riverton Rehab. I am very hopeful that he might be home for Christmas.

At this time they have not found the individual that did this to him.

Thank you for all your prayers and concerns.

- Debra George
Discover Burien, Event Manager

The hit-and-run driver is still at large, and the investigation is still continuing. The suspect vehicle had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

There is still a $1,000 reward, so if you recognize the suspect vehicle please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

If you’d like to visit Jeff, he’s taking visitors now at his new location at Highline Medical Center’s Specialty Campus, which is located at 12844 Military Rd South in Tukwila (phone: 206-244-0180). Jeff is in room #229.

Here’s the latest update on Jeff Kearney, the well-known mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run two weeks ago (original story here) in White Center.

According to Debra George, who brought him over a dozen gifts left by well-wishers for his 37th birthday last Saturday:

“He is breathing on his own, but still has pneumonia and is in ICU for that.

He opens his eyes more now and is tracking some, but does not take in any information. The nurses say that it could be years for him to recover and the extent of his recovery is still unknown.

The Nurses have given Jeff a very nice looking goatee shave.

Nothing yet as I know on the driver who did this to him.

Scott, a wonderful thing that happen last Wednesday when I was visiting Jeff – a box arrived from the Seattle Mariners, filled with all kinds of gift items and a signed card by no less than 25 Mariners employees – they all signed something personal as if they all knew him and were all rooting for him. This was not provoked by anyone I know of – just a wonderful thing they did!”

We checked in with Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department, who says that the hit-and-run driver is still at large and the investigation is continuing. The suspect vehicle had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

There is still a $1,000 reward, so if you recognize the suspect vehicle they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Update On Hit & Run Victim Jeff Kearney; His Birthday Is Saturday & Suspect Is Still At Large
• UPDATE: Police Need Help Finding Vehicle In Hit-And-Run Of Jeff Kearney

Sunday morning (Nov. 29th) four Lakewood Police Officers were shot and killed in a coffee shop when a suspect suddenly opened fire, and one of the victims, Sgt. Mark Renninger, served eight years with the Tukwila Police Department.

Here’s the most recent report:

Sergeant Mark Renninger, Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Greg Richards, and Officer Ronald Owen were shot and killed at a coffee shop in the Lakewood area.

A man entered a coffee shop where the four officers were working on their laptop computers. He stood in line and when he reached the counter he pulled a gun out of his coat and turned and started firing at the four officers. Two officers were hit before they could react, one officer was shot as he attempted to struggle with the gunman, and another officer fired toward the gunman as he fled, and may have hit him. Two employees and other customers were inside the coffee shop, but were not shot or injured. All four officers died at the scene.

Renninger was born and raised in Bethlehem, PA, and served in the military. He was one of six siblings, served with the Tukwila P.D., and was most recently a member of the Lakewood Police and S.W.A.T. team. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Along with Sgt. Renninger, others slain include Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Greg Richards, and Officer Ronald Owen.

Griswold is survived by her husband and two children, Richards by his wife and three children, and Owen by his daughter.

On Sunday, numerous Facebook pages were created in the officers’ honors, including:

• A Facebook page was created in memory of Renninger
• A Facebook page for the four slain officers
• Another Facebook group created for all officers

The suspect has been identified as Maurice Clemmons, 37, of Tacoma. He apparently has a long criminal record with evidence of violence, erratic behavior as well as potential mental health issues.

We here at The B-Town Blog (along with all our sister sites) send our condolences to all the families and friends, and hope that justice is served for this heinous crime.

Just spoke with Debra George, who had a chance Tuesday to visit Jeff Kearney, the well-known, mentally-challenged man who was struck by a hit and run driver last Tuesday (Nov. 17th) in White Center.

“I feel very positive after seeing him,” Debra said late Tuesday morning. “I saw him move his shoulder and grimace in pain at one point, which is a great sign actually – it shows that he is responsive, which is a relief. And as I was leaving, I said out loud: ‘Okay Jeff, I’m going now, so you’d better give me a hug!’ and he actually moved his shoulders.”

Debra gave us more details on Jeff’s current condition:

• He’s still in Intensive Care at Harborview in serious condition.
• He’s been taken off the drug-induced coma but has not yet awakened.
• However, he has shown movement in both his arms and legs, which is a good sign.
• He’s currently on a respirator because he has contracted pneumonia since being admitted.
• He has fractures in his pelvis and hip, as well as severe injuries to his jaw, which may actually be broken.

As we reported last week, Kearney, 36, well-known in Burien as part of “Team Clean Sweep,” was crossing 16th Ave SW in the crosswalk at SW 106th in White Center on Tuesday, Nov. 17th around 5:20pm when a vehicle heading southbound on 16th struck him.

Jeff’s legal guardian, Mike Lindorff, apparently didn’t know about the accident until around 8:30pm that night, when he began to get worried that Jeff hadn’t yet returned home. Apparently Jeff was not wearing his usual ID dog tags when he was hit, so he was admitted to Harborview as an unidentified “John Doe” until Mike found out what happened.

Debra spoke to a nurse at Harborview, who told her it could “take a week” or so before Jeff wakes up on his own and gives them a chance to fully analyze his condition.

Jeff’s 37th birthday just happens to be this Saturday, Nov. 28th, and anyone who wishes to send gifts or cards should drop them off at The Mark Restaurant, located at 918 SW 152nd in Olde Burien before closing time Friday night (Nov. 27th); Debra George will then personally deliver them to Jeff.

According to Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department,”we have not located the suspect vehicle or driver. We still want tips from the public.  The vehicle has damage that is specific and significant enough that someone should recognize it.”

Police are still looking for a maroon-colored Chevrolet or GMC SUV/truck that’s missing an exterior side rear-view mirror (and possibly has other front-end damage), and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

If anyone recognizes the suspect vehicle they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

We here at The B-Town Blog continue to send positive vibes and prayers to Jeff. We are all feeling more positive after speaking with Debra, and are currently visualizing a huge “Welcome Back” party to celebrate a healthy and full recovery for him soon, where we’ll all hug him and tell him how our spouses, children, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are doing.

The King County Sheriff’s Department announced Thursday morning (Nov. 19th) that they need help in finding the vehicle that struck and critically injured Jeff Kearney, who was struck in a White Center crosswalk on Tuesday.

Kearney, 36, well-known in Burien as part of “Team Clean Sweep,” was crossing 16th Ave SW in the crosswalk at SW 106th.  The suspect vehicle was southbound on 16th when it struck him.  The vehicle slowed but did not stop and was last seen driving off southbound on 16th.

Kearney was taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition, where he remains.

According to police, a driver’s side exterior mirror was found at the scene.  There will also be damage to the left front fender.

The vehicle is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:

• GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
• Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
• Suburban: 1992-1999
• GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
• Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999

If anyone recognizes the suspect vehicle they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.

PREVIOUSLY:

Sad news for Burien – a hit and run accident late Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 17th) on 16th SW in White Center has put Jeff Kearney (pictured, left) in critical condition in a medically-induced coma in Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Jeff is known to most everyone in Burien as a huge part of “Team Clean Sweep,” and you’ve probably seen him or talked to him at one of the city’s many local events over the last several years. Despite being mentally-challenged, he is a very happy, gregarious, kind and hard-working 36-year old who seemingly knows everyone in town (especially the ladies).

On a personal note, we would often see Jeff at the weekly Farmer’s Market, and he’d always ask us how we were doing, where Janet was, how our parents were, how our spouses were and more, and we thoroughly enjoyed his company.

According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, the hit and run happened around 5:33pm Tuesday (Nov. 17th), when Jeff was crossing a marked crosswalk in White Center. The suspect vehicle was driving southbound on 16th SW at around 35mph, and struck him while he was still in the crosswalk, throwing Jeff some 30 feet. The vehicle, identified as a black SUV or truck, slowed down, then took off southbound on 16th. Reports are that an external side rear-view mirror fell off the vehicle. The driver is still at large.

“Jeff’s in a medically-induced coma right now,” said Mike Lindorff, his legal guardian and uncle. “He’s got minor fractures on his back and face, but the most concerning thing right now is that he has bleeding on the brain. They have drilled a hole in his head and are trying to reduce pressure so they can wake him up, and they won’t know if he has brain damage until then.”

Everyone here at The B-Town Blog, especially the ladies who were all well-known by him, send our hopes, prayers and meditations to our friend Jeff Kearney for a full and speedy recovery.

We ask also that our Readers take a moment to look at Jeff’s photo and send positive vibes his way.

Also, according to Debra George, who worked closely with Jeff:

“If you’d like to drop anything off you can drop it off at the Mark Restaurant & Bar (918 SW 152nd Street) and I will make sure it gets to him as soon as he is out of ICU.

Thank you for your kindness.”

On another note, we hope that the police catch the hit and run driver and that justice is fully served.

If you have any information on a suspect black SUV or truck that is missing a side rear-view mirror, please call 911 immediately.

On Tuesday (Nov. 17th), Leemah Carneh, the man accused of murdering an elderly couple and two teens at a Des Moines home in 2001, pleaded guilty to murder.

Carneh, 28, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated first-degree murder with a firearm for the brutal killings. These charges carry a mandatory life sentence, which King County Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson imposed following the plea.

Carneh, who was 19 at the time, is accused of killing Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Josie Peterson, in the Larsons’ home in March 2001. Peterson was a cheerleader at Evergreen High School when she was killed.

As we reported previously, Judge Robinson, following a competency hearing that took place over several weeks, ruled in August that Carneh was mentally fit to stand trial. He was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic not long after his arrest.

Carneh was arraigned on the four counts of aggravated first-degree murder immediately following Robinson’s ruling.

According to police investigators, Carneh allegedly gunned down Marks’ grandparents, hid their bodies, then waited inside the house for Peterson and Marks and brutally beat them in an ambush when they came home. King County prosecutors allege that Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, who didn’t know him.

He was arrested at his home two days after the killings. When police searched Carneh’s house after the killings they found a photo of Peterson, a ring belonging to Marks, luggage with the Larson’s name on it, a stereo from Marks’ car, a handgun – and bloody clothes.

Despite this evidence, criminal proceedings were delayed while Carneh was treated for his mental condition at Western State Hospital. On several occasions, he was returned to the King County Jail only to be sent back to the hospital when it was determined he still was not mentally competent to participate in his defense.

After prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty, Carneh will now face life in prison without the possibility of parole. In late 2005, he received a civil commitment to Western State when another superior court judge ruled he still was not competent to stand trial but under state law no longer could be held on the criminal charges.

One year later, prosecutors were notified by officials at Western State that Carneh’s mental condition has improved to the point that he no longer needed constant supervision. They also said he was eligible to earn permission to leave the hospital grounds. At that point, prosecutors re-filed the murder charges and requested a new competency hearing for Carneh. But it took another two and a half years with a new treatment regime before he was finally found fit to stand trial.

Shortly before the original murder charges against Carneh were dismissed, Taelor’s mother Lorraine Marks said, “It’s unbelievable to me. He wrote the book on how to commit murder and get away with it…. I’m furious with the system.”

When the charges against Mr. Carneh were dismissed in 2005 and he was sent from the King County Jail back to the mental treatment facility, prosecutors said it was unlikely, even if he never went to trial for the murders, that he ever would ever be free again.

But late last year, prosecutors learned the defendant had made enough improvement to be unsupervised and perhaps even leave the grounds of the institution.

 At that point, they re-filed the charges of aggravated first-degree murder against him.

 Yet now, he again has been found mentally unfit. Western State staff believe additional treatment alternatives can help Mr. Carneh become competent so he finally can stand trial.

Sad scene outside Burien’s Goodtime Ernie’s this weekend, as a makeshift memorial has been built for the young man who was the victim of an early morning stabbing death last Thursday, Nov. 12th.

There is still no word from police on the suspect, and while the victim’s identity was revealed in Comments made on this website, we have chosen to withhold those until his name is officially released.

We’ll post updates as more information comes in, but for now, we encourage everyone to show respect for the victim’s family and friends, and to try and value life just a little bit more.

Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer stopped by not only to take these photos, but to pay his respects as well:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

On Friday (Nov. 13th) Toan Le, 51, and Hang Ho, 41, of the Crystal Nails salon in Burien plead guilty in US District Court to charges of attempting to illegally import an unapproved skin treatment device as well as two counts of attempting to bribe a federal official.

Le pleaded guilty to bribing a public official, and could face up to two years in prison. Ho pleaded guilty to importing an unapproved medical device into the country, which could result in one year in the slammer.

According to court documents, Ho attempted to import a laser-type device called a”skin light machine,” which emits radiation and has not been approved by the FDA for use in the US.

Le and Ho also plead guilty to offering bribes of $500, then $800 to a federal FDA official to overlook the unapproved machinery.

According to the FDA, some consumers have suffered severe burns and infection, and others have actually died after being treated by the unapproved laser devices.

Crystal Nails is located at 15728 First Ave South in Burien, in the strip mall behind McDonald’s and Roundtable Pizza, and across the parking lot from Page2 Books.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Burien Nail Salon Owners Accused Of Importing Illegal, Radioactive Skin Device, Bribery

Burien native and King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg announced Thursday (Nov. 12th) that Christopher John Monfort, 41, will face charges of aggravated first-degree murder charges for the killing of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, along with three counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly trying to kill his partner, aiming a gun at police, as well as first-degree arson charges for trying to kill officers by firebombing police vehicles at a city maintenance yard.

Along with that litany of charges, it’s also probable that Satterberg will pursue the death penalty for Monfort, as aggravated first-degree murder of a police officer is punishable by one of two sentences in Washington — life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

As we previously reported, Monfort was shot last Friday (Nov. 6th) outside his Tukwila apartment after being approached by police about his car, which matched a vehicle seen near the scene of Brenton’s death on Halloween night.

After aiming a malfunctioning handgun at police, Monfort was shot on the scene and is still in custody at Harborview Medical Center. It was also revealed by his family today that he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.

According to Seattle Police documents, Monfort’s apartment had a cache of weapons, including bomb-making materials. He is also believed to have “worked alone” in the fatal shooting of Officer Brenton, and has been called a “lone terrorist” in this case. Detectives have recovered DNA evidence from both the arson scene at the city maintenance facility and the scene of Officer Brenton’s murder directly tying him to both incidents.

Detectives also recovered a .223 caliber rifle from Monfort’s apartment, and a ballistics test identified it as the firearm used in Officer Brenton’s murder.

Also recovered from Monfort’s apartment was a considerable amount of bomb-making material and evidence that indicates that the type of explosive devices Monfort was in the process of making or had made were even more lethal than the ones used in the Oct. 22nd arson.

According to police, “he clearly was intending to inflict even more destruction in his next criminal attack.”

Further examination of the explosive devices used in the arson and of the devices found in his apartment indicate that Monfort was also intending to harm first responders to the scene, such as police and fire department personnel.

Monfort once attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he became involved in student government and was elected vice president of legislation.

The Oct. 23, 2003, edition of HCC’s student newspaper The Thunderword describes how Monfort ran for student senate and spoke at a candidates’ forum, where he was quoted as saying:

“Too often, too many of us walk around with our head in the clouds.”

According to the article, Monfort:

“…believes he is unique, because he is upset about our current state of government and actually wants to do something about it. … The student body has been cheated and lied to by the Bush Administration,” said Monfort. He plans on putting together a petition to bring our soldiers home.”

Monfort was also quoted as saying: “Our freedom is under attack.“