Victim's family, friends seek clues in hit-and-run accident

Ryan Garabedian's friends and family are anxious to find out what happened.

Early Sunday morning, after nightclubbing on Capitol Hill, Garabedian promised to meet his companions at their car. A half-hour later, the 38-year-old Lake Forest Park man was found unconscious and bleeding in the middle of Melrose Avenue.

"We think he was hit by a car and left there," said his sister, Jeana Burnaugh of Nevada. "We're just waiting for him to wake up and give us some answers."

Friends spent yesterday posting fliers hoping someone might come forward to help solve the crime. Meanwhile, Seattle police said only that they are investigating.

"I want to know why that person ran," said Burnaugh.

Garabedian's mother and sister have been at his side since soon after he was checked into Harborview Medical Center with a broken leg, brain swelling and multiple skull fractures, said Burnaugh.

Garabedian, who sells home furnishings in Seattle, had left his friends about midnight. At about 12:30 a.m., someone who lives in an apartment in the 1500 block of Melrose Avenue saw Garabedian in the street and called 911, Burnaugh said.

Burnaugh said a Seattle police detective told her yesterday they will be testing the clothes Garabedian was wearing for vehicle paint. She said doctors have told the family Garabedian's injuries could have been caused by a car.

Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb declined to comment about the case except to say "it has been assigned to our traffic-collision investigation unit."

Garabedian is originally from Carson City, Nev. He moved to the Pacific Northwest about seven years ago, and started working at Fidalgo's Home Flair in South Seattle last fall, said his supervisor, Nancy Johnson.

Anyone with information about what could have happened to him is asked to call Seattle police at 206-684-8923.

Jennifer Sullivan: 425-783-0604 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com