Streetcar hits SUV that ran red light

A sport-utility vehicle ran a red light this morning and was hit by one of the new South Lake Union streetcars, Seattle police said. No one was injured.

The crash happened at Mercer Street and Terry Avenue North at 7:28 a.m., when the SUV was going east toward Interstate 5. Its rear right panel was dented, and there was minor damage to the orange streetcar, which soon restarted.

No passengers were aboard.

The SUV driver told police he was maneuvering around a large puddle in the left lane of Mercer, then couldn't stop in time for a red light, according to police spokesman Mark Jamieson. The streetcar was heading north on Terry with a "go" signal. Police issued a citation to the SUV driver for running the red light, said Jamieson.

The intersection was cleared within a half-hour of the accident. Shortly after 1 p.m., the orange streetcar was brought back to the maintenance base.

The streetcars began service last Wednesday, from the Westin Hotel to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The 1.3-mile route has 11 stops.

This was the first streetcar collision reported to police, said Jamieson. There have been three other streetcar stoppages: one because of ball bearings in the tracks, another because of a power outage, and on Sunday, a car parked on the tracks had to be towed.