Pedestrian seriously hurt in Lakewood hit-and-run crash
LAKEWOOD, Wash. - A man is hospitalized with serious injuries after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in a dark SUV early Thursday as he was walking along 92nd Street South in Lakewood.
Officers and medics responded to the scene, between South Tacoma Way and 34th Avenue South, at about 1:50 a.m., said Lt. Chris Lawler of the Lakewood police.
Arriving there, they found an unresponsive adult male with significant injuries. He was rushed to Tacoma General Hospital for treatment of foot fractures, a collapsed lung and other injuries.
Witnesses told police that the man, who goes by the street name of “J-Rock,” had earlier been at the 7-Eleven store nearby and was very intoxicated, trying to provoke customers at the store to fight him, Lawler said.
At one point, the man tried to get the occupants of a dark-colored SUV to fight him, but they declined. The man then walked away toward the east on the north side of 92nd Street, towards the Sage Terrace Apartments.
Witnesses told officers that the victim had headphones on and was staring at the ground while walking away. Suddenly he turned into the roadway and was struck by a dark-colored SUV that may have attempted to swerve out of the way, according to witnesses.
The SUV slowed briefly after the collision and then fled the scene.
The dark-colored SUV may be the same one that was seen at the 7-Eleven, and investigators are following up with the store to view the video, Lawler said.
Police described the vehicle as possibly a Ford Explorer or Mercury Mountaineer being driven by a Samoan woman with a heavy-set Samoan male passenger. The SUV was last seen heading east on 92nd Street South after the collision.
The SUV involved in the collision probably has some damage to the front driver’s side of the vehicle, Lawler said.
Investigators are still trying to identify the victim, who has been unable to provide police with any information.
Anyone with information or who can identify the dark-colored SUV is encouraged to call the Lakewood police at (253) 830-5000 or the tip line at (253) 830-5064.
Tips can also be submitted via the Lakewood Police Department website at www.police.cityoflakewood.us or through Crime Stoppers at (253) 591-5959.
Officers and medics responded to the scene, between South Tacoma Way and 34th Avenue South, at about 1:50 a.m., said Lt. Chris Lawler of the Lakewood police.
Arriving there, they found an unresponsive adult male with significant injuries. He was rushed to Tacoma General Hospital for treatment of foot fractures, a collapsed lung and other injuries.
Witnesses told police that the man, who goes by the street name of “J-Rock,” had earlier been at the 7-Eleven store nearby and was very intoxicated, trying to provoke customers at the store to fight him, Lawler said.
At one point, the man tried to get the occupants of a dark-colored SUV to fight him, but they declined. The man then walked away toward the east on the north side of 92nd Street, towards the Sage Terrace Apartments.
Witnesses told officers that the victim had headphones on and was staring at the ground while walking away. Suddenly he turned into the roadway and was struck by a dark-colored SUV that may have attempted to swerve out of the way, according to witnesses.
The SUV slowed briefly after the collision and then fled the scene.
The dark-colored SUV may be the same one that was seen at the 7-Eleven, and investigators are following up with the store to view the video, Lawler said.
Police described the vehicle as possibly a Ford Explorer or Mercury Mountaineer being driven by a Samoan woman with a heavy-set Samoan male passenger. The SUV was last seen heading east on 92nd Street South after the collision.
The SUV involved in the collision probably has some damage to the front driver’s side of the vehicle, Lawler said.
Investigators are still trying to identify the victim, who has been unable to provide police with any information.
Anyone with information or who can identify the dark-colored SUV is encouraged to call the Lakewood police at (253) 830-5000 or the tip line at (253) 830-5064.
Tips can also be submitted via the Lakewood Police Department website at www.police.cityoflakewood.us or through Crime Stoppers at (253) 591-5959.
Regardless of who the victim is, if you are driving and you HIT A PERSON, you MUST stop. It's not only the law but just common decency. After a traumatic injury, seconds count, and the driver stopping and immediately calling for help can save a life.Â
was it a 2 tone SUV? because i know theres a 2 tone SUV in the back of my apartment complex that belong to a samoan family
This area is terrible for violent crimes. If they want to find out more about J-Rock they should ask residence of Sage Terrace. I used to live there and I heard that name but I never met him. It is also one of those areas that no one wants to get involved so that might be why the witness did not see anything. Gangs and drug dealers have a strong foot hold on the area so some people are scared to say anything.
 @Cynthia Smyers actually since you moved its gotten way calmer here a lot of problem and loud residents were kicked out and its calmed down a lot over at the sonic manor so its pretty quiet around here like last week i complained the neighbors in 1a4 were partying too loud at 2am they were evicted yesterdayÂ
There was a witness but he/she was not able to give any description of the vehicle? Not a color, not a type (sedan, suv, whatever)? I understand not being able to get a plate #, but really, nothing?
 @lovestolearn The only thing I can think of is that the witness was walking the opposite direction and only saw headlights, enough to blind him/her long enough to make a vehicle ID difficult or impossible.  But yeah... bigger than an Accord?  Smaller than a Navigator?  Diesel pickups are easy to identify by sound.  So are imports with performance exhaust.
@ChestersGorilla @lovestolearn Maybe the description just wasn't available to the media. Police may know more than they're telling.
 @katiemcc @lovestolearnÂ
I've read comments here about stories similar to this in the past. Â Instances where it seems the police might know more than they're willing to let on. Â The consensus of the commenters seem to question their motives in withholding details.
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Wouldn't the public be better able to help an investigation if they were aware of these details?
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A lot of those types of stories end with the paragraph "Anyone with information regarding (blah) is asked to call (blah)". Â This isn't one of those stories.
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Another hit and run.
And, yes, probably another DUI.
<sigh>
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Another drunk driver?