A driver entered the front lobby of the Seattle West Inn & Suites Wednesday at about 3:45am, but not with a suit case. She drove through with her SUV. The fire department arrived quickly, and a woman in a Jeep was taken to a hospital.

Maintenance Chief, Ken Maples, was in the lobby, but was not injured. He believed one of the outdoor metal posts, ripped from its base, may have saved his life. The motel, at 3512 Southwest Alaska Street, was formerly the West Seattle Travel Lodge. Plans had been in the works to update the motel.