Chambers-Castanes v. King County

In Chambers-Castanes v. King County, 100 Wn.2d 275, 284, 669 P.2d 451 (1983) the plaintiff was struck by two men. King County Police operators received 11 calls for assistance from the time of the incident at approximately 5:50 P.M. until they arrived approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes later. Id. The court concluded there was privity between the King County Department of Public Safety and Mr. and Mrs. Chambers-Castanes from the transcript of a police tape log which contained the words of dispatchers stating that help was on the way. Id. at 287. In Chambers-Castanes the Court found express assurances were made when Mrs. Chambers-Castanes telephoned 911. Chambers-Castanes, 100 Wn.2d at 287. In her first call she stated, "this is the fifth call. No one has responded. It's been a half-hour." Id. at 279. After she gave a more specific description of her location, the operator said, "all right, we'll get somebody up there then." When Mrs. Chambers-Castanes called a second time she stated, "we need some police here, there shouldn't be any trouble, " to which the operator responded, "we have the officer; he is on the way." When she called a third time to ask whether anybody had been dispatched, the operator told her, "yes, they're on their way . . . they'll be there momentarily." When Mrs. Chambers-Castanes told the operator she really needed some assistance, the operator stated, "they'll be there just anytime now. They're on their way." Id.