Seattle, WA
Professional pet sitter struck by hit-and-run driver while taking cat for a walk
Seattle pet sitter recovering from hit-and-run
A 73-year-old professional dog walker and pet-sitter from Seward Park is still recovering in the hospital after a hit-and-run driver nearly killed her on Christmas Day.
SEATTLE – A 73-year-old professional dog walker and pet-sitter from Seward Park is still recovering in the hospital after a hit-and-run driver nearly killed her on Christmas Day.
Witnesses who found Karen Miely injured say the driver hit her near 52nd Ave South and Orcas Street, then sped away.
“It’s been kind of a haze actually, an awful lot to untangle,” said Miely.
She spoke to us from her hospital bed on Friday.
“It’s been hard, and I have this neck brace and my neck also has some trauma to it,” said Miely.
The pet caretaker was taking her own cat, “Maximus Rex”, out for his nightly walk.
“He’s a big guy. He’s probably about 15 lbs,” said Miely. He’s pictured below:
Since “Max” is particular, the two took advantage of the drier evening.
“He kind of doesn’t like rain that much,” said Miely. “He just likes having his mom spend time with him.”
However, the holiday turned into a nightmare for both of them.
“My cat must have witnessed the whole thing, the poor guy,” said Miely.
The crash, which happened sometime around 7 p.m., left Miely with broken legs and a shattered pelvis, among other injuries.
“We are just waiting to see how things heal up,” said Karen, who’s already had surgery to repair some of the damage.
“It was terrifying,” said Maura Wahlen, a neighbor who heard the crash.
Whalen’s family of four had just sat down for Christmas dinner when they heard the impact.
“Literally saying what we were grateful for, and we heard a loud crash-impact. Didn’t know what it was. All four of us jumped up from the table,” said Wahlen. “My husband and I ran out. He was the first to get to her.”
Whalen said her daughter called 911, and they stayed with Miely until the EMT’s and police officers arrived. Whalen said both the officers who responded and the paramedics were “fantastic,” adding they were on scene quickly.
Karen says she knew Ruth Dalton, another dog walker who died after she was attacked and run over in August. She even attended Ruth’s memorial service.
“That was just a shock when I heard what had happened to her. It really felt personal,” said Miely.
The driver that hit Miely not only left her battered and broken, but also took away her ability to make a living through her business, Seattle Tails.
“It hit me in the biggest week of the year. My customers have been great, but wow,” she said.
Friends and loved ones have created an online fundraiser for Miely to help with her unexpected expenses and rehabilitation.
Another silver lining is that Max the cat survived, and wasn’t injured.
“He’s really good at self-preservation, so I’m sure he just took off whenever it happened,” said Miely, who says Max is back home and being cared for. “I tried to get him on Facetime but we only got me.”
She’s hoping someone has security video of the driver or the car that evening, so she can get some answers.
“I guess it’s a blessing you really don’t remember that kind of trauma,” said Miely.
Neighbors say, in general, the intersection has poor visibility and there have been crashes there before. They were not surprised that a crash happened there.
FOX 13 reached out to Seattle Police on Friday evening for an update on the case. Spokesperson Eric Munoz says the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is on the case. Munoz says that so far no arrests have been made and there has not been a suspect identified.
Anyone that has security video from the area of 52nd Ave S. and Orcas Street at around 7 p.m. on December 25th is encouraged to contact Seattle Police.
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Seattle, WA
Seattle fans pack waterfront hours early as USA defeats Australia, advances in World Cup
SEATTLE — Soccer fans descended on Seattle’s waterfront well before kickoff Friday, staking out their spots early to watch a highly anticipated World Cup matchup at Seattle Stadium between the United States and Australia. That patience paid off as Team USA won the match and now advances to the knockout round.
The atmosphere at Pier 62 was electric from the start, with fans lining up for prime viewing positions, whether down on the water’s edge or taking in the sweeping scene from the waterfront overlook above.
“I mean, look at all these people that are here hours beforehand to celebrate this incredible game,” said Paul Hanson, who was rooting for Team USA. “The hairs are going up on the arm.”
The energy was a draw in itself.
“The energy is amazing, everyone’s in a great mood, it’s just a lot of fun to be down here,” Maggie McNeil said.
Not everyone in the crowd was wearing red, white, and blue.
Lizzie Manning hails from Melbourne, Australia, and is now living in the Pacific Northwest.
Manning told KOMO News she hasn’t been back home in nearly a decade, but taking in the U.S.A-Australia match with the waterfront crowd gave her a taste of it.
“Whenever I see another Australian I’m like, ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie, oy oy oy,’” she said. “I feel so close to home. I need a meat pie, life’s good.”
“I’ve met so many people who are visiting from other countries,” Seattle resident Maddie Chaplain said. “I sat next to a couple yesterday who was eating dumplings for the first time from Argentina, that was so awesome.”
With Team USA advancing, fans like Aaron Olson say they’ll be back for more.
“USA’s gonna win it,” Olson said. “I will come down here every game. This is spectacular.”
The World Cup watch parties continue on Pier 62 throughout the tournament. They are free and open to the public with online registration, but capacity is limited.
Seattle News Weekly S1E44: FIFA Frenzy hits the PNW
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is off and running as Seattle prepares to host the United States vs. Australia match on Friday. With more matches to be played in the Emerald City after that, FOX 13’s David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane are taking a closer look at the biggest stories surrounding the international tournament. Dan is hearing from fans on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision to turn on CCTV cameras during the World Cup, Austin is taking a deeper dive into why ties are a good thing in the group stage, and David revisits the lessons learned from the first match hosted in Seattle between Egypt and Belgium.
SEATTLE – The FIFA World Cup has taken Seattle by storm, bringing global excitement to our city and visitors from across the world.
On this week’s episode of the ‘Seattle News Weekly’ podcast, David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane discuss the top headlines of the week that have emerged alongside the buzz about the FIFA World Cup 2026.
A Massive Tournament Expansion
The hosts open the podcast with a discussion on how historically large this year’s FIFA World Cup is compared to years past. Expanded to 48 teams (up from 32), the tournament features a record 104 matches over 39 days across 16 host cities. Seattle is hosting six of those matches.
Austin explains the value of “ties” in the group stage—especially with the new format where 32 teams advance to the knockout stage instead of 16—meaning a single point from a tie carries significant weight.
At the time of recording, the US had already defeated Paraguay and is preparing to face Australia at “Seattle Stadium,” where a win would guarantee advancement.
Transit Tactics
Dan Griffin reports on the city’s transit system, noting that while the light rail is moving a massive influx of people smoothly, transit authorities are actively “throttling” passengers.
This practice involves controlling crowd flow onto platforms to ensure safety, which has caused wait times of over an hour for some fans on TikTok. Transit officials recommend that fans walk to stations slightly further away from the stadium district to get moving faster.
The CCTV Security Debate
The hosts talk about how security is a major focal point. The FBI has already had to confiscate drones being flown illegally downtown. More prominently, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson activated controversial closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Stadium District following “general but credible threats” identified by law enforcement.
While an activist group called Community, Not Cameras expressed fears that the surveillance puts vulnerable populations at risk due to federal agency presence, visitors and fans interviewed largely welcomed the extra layer of security. The cameras are expected to be turned off after the World Cup concludes.
Cultural Celebrations and Fan Experiences
The hosts play a clip from reporter Lauren Donovan who provides a colorful look at the fan festivities happening in the city. She highlights the “March to the Match,” describing Monday morning where Belgian fans swarmed Victory Hall alongside middle school band directors from the Stanwood-Camano district who were recruited to drum for them.
She also joins celebrating Egyptian fans, whose match against Belgium ended in an enthusiastic tie. The hosts note that international fans (like those from Australia) are already flooding local attractions, including Seattle Mariners baseball games, turning the sporting event into a broader West Coast vacation.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
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Seattle reviews FIFA World Cup 2026 transit options after post-match congestion
Egypt’s World Cup pride, Mohamed Salah’s legacy and one fan’s love for the Pharaohs
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
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