SEATTLE — The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is investigating a now-viral video of a car seemingly speeding in the bike and pedestrian trail along I-90 into Seattle.
The video, taken Thursday just after 1 p.m., shows a white car driving on the enclosed path, which is not open to vehicle traffic. It’s part of the I-90 trail, a 10-mile paved path in its entirety that connects Seattle and Bellevue and is popular among bikers and runners. The person who filmed the video alleges the car was driving at what seemed to be 70 mph.
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“I had no idea how the car even got on there, and I was pretty spooked because I run it often,” said Alexa King while on a run Sunday.
The incident was reported to WSP by several people, but the car was gone by the time troopers arrived, the agency confirmed. Troopers are now seeking the public’s help to identify the driver, as the car did not appear to have a license plate, according to WSP.
“There are a lot of people with dash cameras, or maybe someone saw this vehicle exiting the bike path area and didn’t think anything of it,” said Trooper Rick Johnson.
Thankfully, no injuries or crashes were reported Thursday. People who use the path often were shocked to see the video and said they’ll be more cautious when crossing the bridge now.
“I’ve taken kids across it; we’ve run across it, and then we’ve biked across it a lot too,” Darrell Lee said Sunday. “If it was a busy day, somebody would’ve gotten hurt.”
It’s still unclear how the car entered the enclosed path, but Johnson said authorities believe it was likely on Mercer Island, not the Seattle end of the floating bridge.
WSDOT has also been informed of the incident, Johnson confirmed, and the agency is looking further into the trail’s entrances and existing barriers to block vehicle traffic.
“I’ve never seen this before,” Johnson said. “Even if you’re not from the area, I think it should be pretty, pretty evident that [the trail] is not a place for vehicles.”
If a driver is identified and apprehended, they’re likely to face charges for reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
Anyone with video of the Thursday incident or other helpful information can contact WSP at the agency’s non-emergency line: (425) 401-7788.