A tragic road rage incident in Tacoma, Washington, resulted in the death of a 63-year-old man who was legally blind due to macular degeneration and stargardt’s disease. Steven Bird, a pedestrian safety advocate, was allegedly assaulted by an 18-year-old driver after a near-miss incident.
Bird and his friends, Lolita and Ken O’Donnell, were returning from the Logan Brewing Company in Burien on December 2, 2024, when they were almost hit by an SUV driven by Naim Hicks. Witnesses reported that Hicks did not slow down or stop at the stop sign as the trio was crossing the street.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney Office revealed that Ken O’Donnell threw his keys at the SUV as it sped past them, hitting the vehicle. This action led to Hicks stopping his vehicle and confronting the group. A heated argument followed, during which Hicks allegedly assaulted both Bird and Ken O’Donnell before fleeing the scene.
Bird, unable to brace himself during the assault, fell and hit his head on the pavement. A bystander from a nearby building reported hearing the impact of Bird’s head striking the ground. Bird was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries five days later.
Hicks was apprehended last week and has been charged with second-degree murder. He is currently being held in custody with bail set at $1 million.
Bird was a well-respected figure in his community, known for his dedication to helping others. Laura Svancarek, Interim Executive Director at Downtown on the Go, where Bird had been a safety and pedestrian advocate since 2016, praised him as a person who always strived to improve things. Andrea Williams, a friend of Bird, remembered him as a “perfect human being” and mentioned that Bird had often expressed fears of being hit by a car.