A Recology recycling truck driver struck Christian Salyer while he was biking on 12th Ave at Yesler Way Monday evening, and Capitol Hill Seattle reports that he has died. He was 30.
Our condolences to his friends and family.
The principal sent an email to the Thurgood Marshall Elementary community announcing the news, noting, “Christian was a dedicated teacher who served our school with passion and care for many years. He made a lasting impact on students, colleagues, and families alike. His warmth, dedication, and commitment to education will be deeply missed.”
There is a growing memorial near the site, CHS reports. The kids called him Mr. S.
The collision is under investigation, and official details about how it happened are currently scarce. One commenter on the CHS story (the comment is graphic, so discretion is advised) said they witnessed part of what happened and that the recycling truck was turning right from southbound 12th Ave onto westbound Yesler Way when the collision ocurred, though more information is needed to know for sure what happened. A photo on CHS shows the truck stopped on westbound Yesler just west of 12th.
In a statement to CHS, Recology said, “Safety is our top priority at Recology, and we are working with the proper authorities to determine exactly what happened.”
There are skinny paint-only bike lanes on 12th Ave that disappear south of the intersection. Under Mayor Jenny Durkan’s administration, SDOT cut back a planned bike lane project on 12th Ave between Yesler and the Jose Rizal Bridge, stopping it at S King Street. In a 2021 letter, community groups Beacon Hill Safe Streets and Central Seattle Greenways (now Central Seattle Streets for All) noted that between 2004 and 2019, 66 people were injured in traffic collisions while biking or walking on the four blocks of 12th Ave between Yesler and King. The groups even organized a community walk in 2019 to draw attention to the dangers facing people walking and biking there. Sunday night, about 16 hours before Salyer was struck, two people were seriously injured when someone drove onto the sidewalk at 12th and Jackson and hit them before fleeing the scene.