Sammamish

Two things about Sammamish -

1. Their Police Department is located in a Community Center and not very easy to find once you walk in the door.
2. Don’t get a DUI or have your car involved in a DUI. The City of Sammamish has a law that they will not allow the tow company to release your vehicle until you go to the Police Department and show them a valid driver’s license, insurance, and pay them $100 cash. I understand the thinking behind this; don’t want drunks able to get their cars back easily. But when you’re the owner of the car and not the DUI Driver, it’s a little frustrating.

So my experience in trying to get my car released was interesting. When I first walked into the Community Center I saw a sign that said Police – I turned into that little alcove. There was no one at the window, you can’t go through the doors, and the desk area at the window was dark – no lights on. I saw a sign that said to go to the 2nd Floor King County Sheriffs office. So off I went to the 2nd floor.

The lady at the desk for the Sheriff’s Department was very rude! I walked up and said I was here to pay the money to get my car. She gave me this dirty look and said I don’t know what you’re talking about you’re in the wrong place. I again said that I was told I had to pay $100 to get my car released. She said that’s not here it’s on the 1st Floor. I told her that it didn’t look like anyone was there and I had seen a sign that said to come up to the 2nd floor. She then rudely says that she was just down there and unless the girl ran out the door someone is in the 1st floor office and that the sign I saw was only for gun permits. Not sure if she was having a bad day, if she is always like that, or if she just wanted to be pissy because she knew I was trying to get a car released that had been towed for DUI. Either way – King County Sheriff you might want to get a new front desk person at your Sammamish office.

I went back to the 1st Floor, looked around, and finally found a small doorbell so I rang it. The gal that came to the window was so friendly and helpful – quite the change from the gal on the 2nd floor. She copied what she needed, pointed me to the clerk that would take my cash, and sent me on my way.

Oh yeah, they won’t fax the release form to the tow company, you have to go there and actually hand it to them. So I got to drive back to Ken’s Towing in Redmond to let them know they could release my car to the insurance company.

While there I decided to take one last look through the car to make sure I had gotten everything out of it. Sadly, there was something missing. I had a Buffy Cross necklace and a Criss Angel necklace hanging from the rearview mirror – The Buffy Cross has hung in all my cars since I got from the WB Store in Seattle it about 10+ years ago. Recently L hung her Bluetooth device from the chain so she could talk hands free in the car. Well someone, either at the accident scene or with the tow company, decided that they wanted the Bluetooth and instead of unhooking it they just grabbed all the chains and pulled. Yup, all that was left were broken chains hanging. Couldn’t care less about L’s Bluetooth but I really liked my Buffy Cross.

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