Jogger struck, killed by car at busy Olympia intersection
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A jogger was struck and killed by a car Friday morning at a busy Olympia intersection, police said.
Emergency personnel responded to the scene, at the intersection of Cooper Point Road and Capital Mall Drive SW, at about 6:15 a.m. after receiving a report of a serious crash involving a car and pedestrian.
The jogger died at the scene.
A preliminary investigation found that the car was entering the busy intersection when it struck a man who was jogging through at the same time. The driver stayed at the scene after the collision.
Police are interviewing the driver and witnesses. It was not immediately clear whether the car or the jogger had the right-of-way at the time of the crash.
The intersection, which is normally very busy, will be closed for at least six hours as the investigation proceeds, police said.
The identity of the jogger was not immediately available.
Emergency personnel responded to the scene, at the intersection of Cooper Point Road and Capital Mall Drive SW, at about 6:15 a.m. after receiving a report of a serious crash involving a car and pedestrian.
The jogger died at the scene.
A preliminary investigation found that the car was entering the busy intersection when it struck a man who was jogging through at the same time. The driver stayed at the scene after the collision.
Police are interviewing the driver and witnesses. It was not immediately clear whether the car or the jogger had the right-of-way at the time of the crash.
The intersection, which is normally very busy, will be closed for at least six hours as the investigation proceeds, police said.
The identity of the jogger was not immediately available.
Stop, look and listen! That's what I was taught as a child; I continue to follow that advice today; and I'm still around. Whether or not the jogger was right, that's not the point. I don't want to say on my tombstone "I was Right!". The driver may or may not see a jogger. I've seen too many joggers and runners run right into a street without even bother to look to see if a car was coming from any direction. It's like they're in another world. Definitely not thinking of what's around them.
Sad. Â It's dark at 6:15am, and that is a huge intersection. Most likely the runner was in the intersection while the person was turning right. Â Most drivers in washington no longer stop at stop signs or red lights, especially if they're turning. Â Usually it's a tap on the brakes, if anything at all. Â This is the most dangerous scenario for pedestrians.. when you're legally in the crosswalk, but someone turns right or left into you. Â I would not jog in the dark -- not worth it. Â Also i've seen too many pedestrians and runners without light or reflective clothing. Â
Really sad story. At least he died doing something he loved...
@IronWafflez How do you know? I hate running but I do it anyway.
 @dontneedheels  @IronWafflez Guess I was thinking for myself.Â
RIP to the jogger and my condolences to the family. What a horrible tragedy.
Turning cars are the worst. Â I've almost been hit many times this way, and yes, I look before I step off the curb. Â But a lot of drivers don't signal, and don't look before turning. Â It's not possible to make eye contact in these situations, and it's almost impossible for a pedestrian to anticipate the turn. Â One moment the car's going straight, no apparent hazard to the pedestrian - the next moment, the car is turning into the pedestrian without warning. Â It happens darned fast. Â Newer cars have larger side mirrors than they used to, which is nice for looking behind. Â But in a turn, those mirrors hide a lot of things. Â In my car, I have to sway side to side in my seat to see around the mirror. Â Saying that the jogger should have looked before entering the intersection is trivializing how dangerous intersections are.
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And to "jamesbrass", in this state, pedestrians have the right of way anytime they step off the curb, no matter where or when.
 @magic_eye It's better to be wrong than dead right.
I completely agree with what you say about it being hard to see. As a driver turning left across an intersection, the driver is watching the oncoming cars and waiting to get through. They probably have their turn signal on and they are waiting for the lane to be clear. It's clear, turn left, oh wait, now there's a pedestrian in the cross walk. Slam on your brakes. I've been in this situation. The frame of my car is something that blocks my view just enough that I have to make sure to lean forward, and look behind me to make sure there aren't pedestrians coming from either direction. The problem is the sign says walk, and people walk. They don't look around them for cars. There are a lot of times when a sign says walk but cars can still legally go through the intersection. This creates a problem because there are those pedestrians that don't pay attention. I see it daily on my way to work. I drive 2.5 miles and go through 5 lights to/from work daily (not far at all), but not only are there plenty of cars that run red lights, but there are also pedestrians crossing that don't pay attention. Everyone needs to be much more aware of their surroundings. Unfortunately, people still aren't going to learn from senseless deaths like this one.
@magic_eye Not anytime...... They still are responsible for following traffic signals and traffic control devices RCW 46.61.050 and crossing at crosswalks to maintain right of way. Yield to vehicles outside intersections - Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway (RCW 46.61.240).
 @Searndipity  @magic_eye I stand corrected.  As a bus driver, I had been *taught* to give peds the right-of-way, no matter what, but you're right, they don't legally have the right of way in all cases.
@magic_eye  @Searndipity You were probably taught that to cut down on liability for the school district (my assumption).  I'm not saying any one person is right or wrong, but that most people are both pedestrian and driver and we need to remember all the rules. Thanks searndipidty for taking the time to research the issue. BTW, I live close to this intersection and its one of the busiest in Oly. Its even more important to be familiar with your surroundings. Perhaps he just recently moved to this part of time.  This is just tragic all around.       Â
 I understand that pedestrians have the right of way, but you have to understand who is going to win that battle. Look left, right then left again before crossing. Make eye contact with the driver before you step in front of a car. This is all basic stuff we were taught as kids.
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Terrible news.
Jimbo.
Actually, I don't believe pedestrians have the right of way at an intersection controlled by crossing lights. One of the things that people don't realize is the crossing signals are there to protect both the drivers and people from getting hurt. You must push the button to change the light. The other part I completely agree with. You are responsible for your own life. I don't tangle with thousand of pounds of car vs. my couple hundred pounds of flesh.Â
Sad, and my heart goes out to the family, but based on my experience... any bets on whether a cell-phone or i-Pod/MP3 player was in use by the jogger at the time?
 @RN1 Sadly, I suspect it's likely.  I bike to work, and they're endemic for joggers and cyclists.  Of course, the driver probably had their windows rolled up and was listening to the radio/CD player.
 @RN1 I hope they were paying attention, and it was just all a huge unfortunate set of circumstances.
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I'm a bike rider and runner and I never wear head phones anymore. My ears are often the first warning. I didn't realize this until I had a few close calls. Now I know. Headphones are for the gym. Not when out tangling with traffic.
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I have seen bicyclists and joggers come off a curb without looking either way and expecting a car traveling at 25-35 or faster to be able to react in time to keep from running over the damn fools. I feel sorry for the jobber, but who was really in the right? Was the driver inattentive or the jogger? Joggers have the same responsibility to make sure they can cross safely as a car does yet they will come off a curb on a run hoping that a car will have enough time to react.Â
 @LongBeachBum It's tough to say when one party can no longer speak, I would like to hope the driver was attentive at the moment. Joggers run right in front of me all the time, maybe they're trying too hard to keep their heart rate up. Pedestrians really need to signal their intent by stopping at the corner, facing the direction they wish to go, then looking both ways, just as we have to signal using our turn signals. I walk around downtown a lot, I always make eye contact with the driver, if they are talking on their phone and I can't, I wait until I am clear of their intentions to walk in front of them (and give them a dirty look), even if I have a walk signal. Just like driving, you have to be responsible for your own personal safety, just like you don't take candy from strangers.