Police said a homeless man was killed in an accident involving a yard waste/recycling truck in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood.
At 6:05 a.m. on Tuesday, patrol officers were called to a report of a recycling truck running over a man. Police arrived at East Shelby Street near the 2800 block of Eastlake Avenue East to find a man down in the road.
Seattle Fire Department medics arrived but were unable to save the man’s life.
Video from the scene showed a Cedar Grove truck and dumpsters inside an area cordoned off with police tape.
The Seattle Police Department Traffic Collision Investigation Squad documented the scene. It was determined that a homeless man was lying in front of the garbage and recycling dumpsters in the middle of a dead-end street when he was accidentally run over by the truck.
The driver was evaluated by a drug recognition expert and was found to show no signs of impairment.
The King County Medical Examiner will identify the victim and determine the cause and manner of death.
Anyone with more information is asked to call the TCIS at 206-684-8923.
The 6:05 a.m. timing places the fatal accident during early morning hours when waste collection trucks make rounds before daylight and traffic increase, with reduced visibility potentially contributing to the tragedy.
The homeless man lying in front of dumpsters suggests he sought shelter near the waste containers overnight, either sleeping behind them for protection from elements or positioning himself where he believed trucks wouldn’t travel.
The dead-end street location on East Shelby Street creates confined space where trucks must maneuver in limited area to service dumpsters, increasing collision risks with obstacles or people in the roadway not visible to drivers.
The 2800 block of Eastlake Avenue East places the incident in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood where apartment buildings and small businesses generate waste requiring regular collection services.
The Seattle Fire Department medics’ inability to save the victim indicates he sustained fatal injuries from being run over by the heavy truck, likely suffering massive trauma to vital organs or crushing injuries incompatible with survival.
The Cedar Grove truck identification reveals the specific waste management company involved, a Seattle-area composting and recycling service that collects organic waste and recyclables from commercial and residential customers.
The police tape cordoning off the area with truck and dumpsters inside demonstrates standard investigation procedures preserving the crash scene while detectives photograph vehicle positions, measure distances, and document evidence.
The Traffic Collision Investigation Squad involvement indicates SPD treats the fatal accident with the same investigative rigor as intentional vehicular homicides, ensuring thorough examination determines whether negligence or equipment failure contributed.
The “accidentally run over” determination suggests investigators concluded the driver had no knowledge of the man’s presence and took no deliberate action causing the death, though the accident classification doesn’t preclude potential negligence findings.
The drug recognition expert evaluation of the driver represents standard protocol in fatal accidents, using field sobriety tests and physical examination to detect impairment from alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications, or illegal drugs.
The no impairment finding clears the driver of suspicion that substance use contributed to the accident, though it doesn’t address whether fatigue, distraction, or failure to check blind spots played roles.
The King County Medical Examiner’s identification responsibility reflects the victim’s apparent lack of identification documents, with homeless individuals often carrying no wallet or ID cards that would enable immediate notification of next of kin.
The cause and manner of death determination will officially document whether the victim died from blunt force trauma, crushing injuries, or other mechanisms, while manner classification will likely be accident unless evidence suggests otherwise.
The witness information request suggests investigators seek anyone who observed the truck’s approach, the victim’s position before impact, or other details that could clarify exactly how the accident occurred.
The Eastlake neighborhood context places the tragedy in an area experiencing gentrification where rising housing costs displace low-income residents while homeless individuals congregate near remaining affordable services and shelter options.
The dumpster location as overnight shelter illustrates the desperate choices homeless individuals make seeking protection from Seattle’s rain and cold, with waste collection areas offering alcoves shielding from wind despite obvious dangers.
The early morning collection timing means the victim likely fell asleep hours earlier during nighttime when truck operations ceased, remaining unaware of impending danger as he slept in the path waste vehicles would travel.
The driver’s perspective from an elevated truck cab creates blind spots where someone lying on pavement directly in front of the vehicle becomes invisible, particularly in pre-dawn darkness with limited ambient light.
The Cedar Grove company’s organic waste focus means the truck was collecting food scraps, yard debris, and compostable materials rather than traditional garbage, though the distinction provides no comfort to the victim’s fate.
The dead-end street configuration that necessitated the victim’s presence in the roadway rather than on a sidewalk reflects urban design where waste collection occurs in back alleys and service roads where homeless individuals also seek shelter.
The accident highlights broader homelessness crisis where Seattle’s inadequate shelter capacity forces individuals to sleep in dangerous locations, with waste collection areas, freeway underpasses, and other hazardous spaces becoming default housing.
