Beloved children’s orca ride hit when driver crashed into downtown Olympia store

A two-vehicle collision in a downtown intersection resulted in a driver crashing into a nearby business, according to Olympia police.

About 6 p.m. Friday, one driver was headed west on Fifth Avenue while another driver was waiting to turn left from Fifth Avenue onto Water Street, Lt. Paul Lower said.

The driver turned left and the westbound driver crashed into him, sending him into Traditions, a cafe and fair-trade gift shop at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Water Street.

The two drivers, both men, were not hurt and there were no arrests, Lower said.

Details about who was at fault were not immediately available. Lower said he reviewed body-camera video footage about the crash, but was still waiting to receive a police report.

The crash resulted in the tiniest dent in the building, largely because the vehicle fist hit and destroyed a well-known orca-themed, coin-operated children’s ride, Traditions owner Jody Mackey said Tuesday.

She was able to salvage the head of the orca with a goal of bringing back the ride, Mackey said.

This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 12:20 PM.