Car crash destroys public art
Published 9:56 am Tuesday, January 6, 2015
A driver having a diabetic episode failed to use his brakes coming from the I-90 off-ramp at 77th Avenue S.E. on Friday evening.
He went through the intersection, hit part of the low concrete wall that holds the “Mercer Island” sign and landed in the outdoor sculpture gallery by Sunset Highway, police said.
The driver, who is not an Island resident, also ran over and flattened two of the metal abstract sculptures of people, which were installed as part of the gateway project.
The impact with the concrete wall launched the car onto the grassy knoll, where it collided with the three-piece steel sculpture called “Gnome Group 3” by John Geise, valued at $9,000.
The vehicle is a rental car and will likely be totaled, according to police. All four airbags in the car deployed.
The driver was checked by Island firefighters, who transported him to the hospital for blood sugar issues, though he appeared unhurt. No one else was injured.
The outdoor sculpture gallery is maintained by the Arts Council. It features works that are for sale, and commissions benefit the city’s public art program.
The city is working with its insurance authority on next steps. Damages to the Island sign are estimated to be about $3,000. The cost of the gateway project, installed in 1999, was $85,583. The cost of the art, including the metal people, was $20,000.
Update: According to the police report released Jan. 12, the approximate estimate of damages to the art and the wall is $85,583.
