The accident happened at about 7:30 am this morning, according to the emergency police and fire scanner. It is unclear what caused the crash, but damage was sustained by all four vehicles.

No medical vehicles were called for leading to the assumption that there were no major personal injuries reported.

Many of the complaints about this intersection is that the speed limit on SR 500 is 60 mph and upon arrival to Stapleton the traffic has to suddenly slow to a stop. This has prompted for a call to construct an overpass there to avoid further car accidents.

If you or someone you know is in a car accident involving a confusing, badly marked, or hazardous intersection that the municipality has not yet addressed it is within your rights to seek a change and fair compensation through legal means. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation.

Learn More About:

• What to do in a car accident
• Car Accidents and Insurance Coverage
• Washington Law and Car Accidents

The 7 year-old that was ejected was one of three people in the van, including a 13-year-old boy and driver, Maria Medina, of Yakima, said Trooper Darin Foster of the Washington State Patrol. He said the boy was not wearing a seat belt and should have been using a booster seat

They were taken to Yakima hospitals to be checked, but all injuries turned out to be minor, according to the patrol.

Traffic was temporarily restricted to the exit’s left lane until a tow truck removed the van.

Medina and both of those children were extremely lucky to come out of that roll over accident with only minor wounds, especially the boy that was thrown from the car. Generally, if someone is ejected from a rolling car they can expect a serious personal injury or perhaps even a permanent brain injury.

Please wear your seatbelts, even if you are riding in the back of the car.

If you or someone you know have been injured in a car accident it is imperative that you find legal council that can walk you through the insurance and litigation process. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation.

Learn More About:

• What to do in a car accident
• Car Accident FAQs
• Washington Law and Car Accidents

She was not wearing a seat belt, Washington State Patrol troopers said.

The injury accident closed I-90 while a Northwest Medstar helicopter evacuated her to Providence Sacred Heart Hospital where she is listed in critical condition.

Troopers investigating the scene believe the auto accident was caused by excessive speed and that no drugs or alcohol were involved.

Our thoughts go with Derosie as she struggles in the hospital.

This highlights the absolute importance of wearing a seatbelt every time you drive no matter how far you may travel. Roads can be unpredictable, especially at high speeds, and whether it is an animal or a new pot hole, the hazards can change your life in an instant.

If you get into a car accident it is important that you find out your legal options. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation.

Learn More About:

• Car Accident Injuries and Wrongful Death
• Car Accidents and Insurance Coverage
• Car Accidents with Commercial Vehicles

Witnesses at the scene said that the Jeep hit a vehicle in the intersection, bounced off of it, and continued at a high velocity westbound in the eastbound lane of Mullan Avenue. This is when it had a head-on collision with a Ford Contour. The Jeep then flipped, landed on its roof, and slid to a stop.

The Jeep’s driver, John Watson, 59, of Post Falls, was said to have suffered a traumatic leg injury. Also in the passenger side of the Jeep was a 13 year-old boy who suffered injuries to the face and leg, police reported.

The Ford’s driver, James Norris, 37, also of Post Falls, suffered multiple fractures.

Police also said that freezing fog, ice, and a thin layer of snow on the roadway contributed to the accident. There has been no report as to the current state of the injured or the nature of Watson’s medical episode.

At around 2:20 a.m. on Wednesday, a sheriff’s sergeant tried to pull over a man who was driving a red 1992 Honda Accord recklessly south of Everett in the 3500 block of 132nd Street SE. What he didn’t know at the time was that the car was stolen and was being driven by Andrew Wayne Holden, 32, of Snohomish.

Holden has made somewhat of a name for himself to law enforcement; not exactly the best place to be famous. He has been part of an ongoing investigation by the Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force for multiple car thefts. On top of that he was wanted by the Department of Corrections on an escape warrant. A list he could be proud of when he sees his pals back in prison. But it was the fiasco he caused that will make him a hero in the clink.

When Holden took off the sheriff’s sergeant took off after him. He called it into dispatch and dispatch recognized the situation. They alerted Everett police who, with another sheriff’s deputy, created a road block with two squad cars and laid down a spike strip along Broadway right by Comcast Arena.

The spike strip was successful. It burst the tire of the suspect, sent the car out of control, where he proceeded to hit a telephone pole. He then jumped out and ran. The officers, who had exited their cars to chase the suspect on foot, were all of a sudden jumping for their lives.

Going southbound to on Broadway was a speeding patrol cruiser from the sheriff’s department, driven by a young but experienced deputy, 26, eager to join the chase. A representative from the Everett police department described the car as slamming into the roadblock with such force that it sent the two stationary patrol cars spinning across Broadway. Unfortunately, it gets worse.

An Everett patrol cruiser speeding northbound in the opposite direction at almost the exact moment of the wreck had to swerve suddenly to avoid the wreck and ended up wrecking their cruiser also.

The injuries were to the police officer and the sheriff’s deputy who had to leap out of the way. The officer suffered two broken wrists and a broken knee when he was hit by his own patrol car. All other officers received minor injuries.

The clean up and investigation went well into the morning commute and held up traffic on the heavily traveled Broadway while both departments sorted out the details.

The good news is that Holden was captured and booked into the Snohomish County Jail on possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest.

Municipal Cash Cow

Placed outside of the intersection the city of Seattle has cruelly placed a series of DOT cameras. These camera’s dispense on average 16 tickets a day at $124 per ticket for various cars speeding or running red lights. That comes to about ¾ of a million dollars in one intersection.

Here’s the problem: the cameras have been deemed illegal, but they’re still dispensing tickets.

The Loophole

Judge Francis deVilla has deemed the cameras illegal because of the provision stated in the Washington State Legislature’s RCW 46.63.170 (b) which clearly states:

Use of automated traffic safety cameras is restricted to two-arterial intersections, railroad crossings, and school speed zones only.

Judge deVilla’s ruling could put into question all current DOT cameras and the tickets associated with them.

The Case

This ruling is based on a case brought this week before Seattle Municipal Traffic Court. The car in question was clearly shown in the camera video to be speeding through a red light, as shown in this King 5 local news report of the story.

Another traffic court judge, Adam Eisenberg, has also been known to have dismissed a ticket dispensed at the intersection. The city’s attorney’s office disagrees with the ruling and believes that the tickets are legal and vows to fight each challenge that comes through the court. Perhaps because very few people have the time or willingness to challenge the ticket.

If you feel that you have been unfairly cited or are in need of legal council for a vehicle related infraction, call Phillips Webster today to find out your legal options.

Written by Jeremy Cairns

Medics responded immediately to the scene and had to access the car through a house property on 114^th place NW. Police have not released the details of the accident or the age of the woman. Fire crews told a dispatcher that she was able to walk away from the wreck.

Traffic was backed up all the way down 3^rd Avenue NW to Carkeek Park, but resumed by 6:40.

If you are involved in an accident that involves a privately-owned vehicle, it presents the simplest scenario possible, although that is a very relative term. There are still complications and technicalities galore to be mindful of, but there are no corporate or government layers to be concerned with as a claim is being formulated. There is really only one potential adversary that presents a potential problem – the other driver’s insurance company.

If you file a claim against another driver, his or her insurance company is sure to get involved. Insurance companies of all types have teams of in-house defense attorneys on staff whose sole mission is to limit the amount of financial liability their client faces in any situation. This is not to be taken to mean that these attorneys will breach ethics. Rather, it means that most of them are very good at their jobs.

Therefore, if you are involved in an accident and you hear from the other driver’s insurance company before you retain your own auto accident attorney, you need to remember to politely decline the opportunity to speak with them. Simply state that you are in the process of retaining your own attorney and that he or she will be in touch as soon as that arrangement has been made. This will help you avoid several potentially serious problems with your case down the road.

If you need an attorney to help with your accident situation, you need to contact the Seattle auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Step One – Gather Names

The last thing you should do when beginning your search is to simply open the phone book and pick out the biggest advertisements in the yellow pages. Odds are that someone you know has been in an accident that required the help of an attorney, so ask around for referrals. Otherwise, search the Web and read about the firm’s qualifications.

Step Two – Pay Attention to the Response

When you contact a firm, you should be mindful of how long it takes for them to return your contact, how quickly they can schedule your initial consultation and whether or not you’ll be meeting with an attorney or another staff member. This all speaks to how the firm handles their cases in general.

Step Three – Ask Questions

After you’ve scheduled an initial consultation, which really should be free of charge given the nature of your case, you need to come prepared with questions. Below are some examples of relevant questions to ask during this meeting:

1. How long have you been practicing law?

2. How many auto accident cases have you handled?

3. How many have settled?

4. How many have gone to trial?

5. How does your fee structure work?

Finally, you should not only pay attention to the answers the attorney provides, but you should also feel comfortable with him or her, as the attorney you retain will be working closely with you as you move through your case. If you have been injured in an auto accident, you need to contact Seattle auto accident attorneys who make it their practice to promptly respond to all inquiries and to quickly meet with you for a free initial consultation to give you the answers you need and deserve. Contact Phillips & Webster today.

According to The Olympian:

“Troopers reported Sunday that David W. Comfort , 27, of Chehalis, was westbound on State Route 12 near Forstrom Road, when the 1992 Mazda MPV van he was driving crossed the center line and struck an eastbound 2006 Chevrolet Aveo, driven by Natalie J. McLaughlin, 22.

McLaughlin died, troopers reported, and her family was notified later Sunday morning. Comfort was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to the state patrol.”

The report goes on to say that investigators are still analyzing the situation and that charges are pending against Comfort. If he is found to have been under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the crash, Comfort could face significant criminal penalties, including vehicular manslaughter.

Regardless, he could also face substantial civil liability exposure based on his actions. If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in an auto accident, contact the Seattle attorneys at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.