One of the most heartbreaking scenes in Season 3 takes place in Part 6. A boy is killed by Richard Horne while the child’s mother watches the horror unfold. The scene was shot in Snoqualmie, Washington in the same intersection that was featured in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. After visiting the location in September 2019, I have enough photos for this spot to have it’s own article.
WHERE IS THE ACCIDENT INTERSECTION FROM TWIN PEAKS PART 6 LOCATED?
The scene mostly takes place at the intersection of Meadowbrook Way SE and SE Park Street in Snoqualmie. The approximate coordinates for the location are 47°31’31.1″N 121°48’45.8″W.
This scene was shot on September 22, 2015. Thankfully, The Mauve Zone reposted several behind-the-scenes shots captured by fans that day.
INTERSECTION OF HISTORY – TOWN OF MEADOWBROOK
The intersection was once part of downtown Meadowbrook before being annexed to Snoqualmie in 1952. After purchasing the 1,200 acre Meadowbrook Farm in 1904, Arthur W. Platt and Angus J. Moffat turned the land into a successful dairy empire.
With the Snoqualmie Mill opening just a few years earlier, Platt thought part of his land could serve the mill workers as they drove on their way to work. In 1923, Platt and his wife turned part of the dairy farm into the town of Meadowbrook.
Downtown Meadowbrook had a grocery store, drug store, general store and even a hotel. Nearby, homes were constructed Bill Blaisdell, who also constructed homes for the mill town across the river. These new places were perfect for mill workers who didn’t want to pay rent to the Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company.
You may recognize the now demolished Brook Theatre, which later served as Mo’s Motor in Lynch’s feature film. The exterior of Gersten Hayward’s apartment appears in the scene and the former Fat Trout Trailer Park was located just down the street.
APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION
The scene begins with Richard Horne barreling toward the intersection in a giant Ford truck. He just had a bizarre meeting with Red that left him seeing red.
Richard is actually driving on Meadowbrook Way which passes by the newly updated Mount Si High School.
The new modern high school campus replaced the one that was seen in the Pilot Episode. When shooting took place in 2015, construction hadn’t been completed which is why they are missing from the scene.
Another shot from Richard’s point of view cuts to Richard driving. While his point-of-view shot is on Meadowbrook Way, I’m thinking the shot of Richard behind the wheel was shot at a different spot (I’ll get to that in a moment).
Richard grows impatient while waiting at the intersection, so he veers into the opposite lane to illegally pass the waiting cars.
A later shot shows the truck approaching closer. The license plate on the Ford Truck is Washington – NP8B3J0. It’s also seen later in the episode when Richard cleans the front grill.
Another wonderful behind-the-scenes shot as Richard’s truck approaches the intersection. It’s interesting to note how far back the other cars are in this scene compared to the tractor trailer.
CROSSING THE INTERSECTION
The scene cuts to a Stop sign at the intersection.
It looks pretty much the same except directional signs are now found at the location.
A Volvo VNL truck sits waits at the intersection.
A mother (played by Lisa Coronado) and son (played by Hunter Sanchez) approach the intersection.
An uncredited truck driver spots the mother and son who had just been playing in a local park a few moments ago. He waves them across the street, unaware that a drugged-up Richard Horne is speeding toward the intersection.
The Hit and Run Mother waves the driver before sending her son across the street.
Hunter Sanchez appears to be a local Seattle, SAG-eligible actor who has also appeared in commercials and done voice-over work.
Lisa Coronado spoke with Westside Seattle on June 14, 2017 about how she got the role:
“I got called in to audition for Heidi Walker. I didn’t know what the project was or the part. When I went she just set up a camera and started asking me questions. Mainly about raising kids and being a mom. I think I got emotional on one of them and I was like ‘Pull it together Lisa!’. And that was it. Then a few weeks later I got the call that I booked it. And I still didn’t know what ‘it’ was. My script pages showed up a bit later and then I knew. I freaked out.”
HIT AND RUN
The boy begins crossing the street but stops when he sees Richard’s trucking speeding toward him.
Doing my best impression of the Hit and Run boy. Thankfully it was an early Sunday morning, so there weren’t many cars on the road.
The mother watches her son crossing the street, unaware of the impending doom.
The moment just before Richard strikes the boy.
I visited this location twice – once when it wasn’t raining and again while it drizzled.
AFTERMATH OF HIT AND RUN
The mother screams as she watches Richard Horne hit her son with his truck.
The camera shows the deceased boy laying in the middle of the intersection. The Auto Repair shop building, one of the original Meadowbrook buildings from the early 1920s, still has the same advertising sign. The front door, however, has been painted red.
Drivers also waiting at the stop sign (though rather far back from the truck) get out of their vehicles upon seeing the accident. The red building in the shot was constructed in 1939, and was once home to Best Putt Forward and Bucky’s Baseball Academy.
The mother picks up her son’s lifeless body and screams.
Two more production photos from The Mauve Zone show Lisa Coronado preparing to run toward Hunter’s body in the road.
RICHARD HORNE DRIVES AWAY
After running over the boy, Richard Horne continues driving his truck. He yells, wondering why the boy was in the street. The interesting part about these reaction shots is they were shot somewhere else.
If you look carefully out the window, you’ll notice the Farmer’s property from Part 7.
This private residence is located on 428 Avenue SE in Snoqualmie, down the street from Reinig Road (where the Welcome to Twin Peaks sign spot is found). The approximate coordinates are 47°31’37.2″N 121°46’10.4″W.
When the camera cuts to a front view of Richard driving, the background is actually found before the Farmer’s house. It’s around 8226 428th Avenue SE (47°31’35.5″N 121°46’10.4″W).
Most likely captured with two different cameras – one mounted on the driver side and one mounted in front of the windshield. Editor Dewayne Dunham then used the best reaction shots for the scene.
MIRIAM SEES RICHARD DRIVING AWAY
Miriam Sullivan, fresh from the Double R Diner, sees Richard driving the truck.
The scene was shot on the opposite side of Auto Repair of Snoqualmie (approximate coordinates are 47°31’32.8″N 121°48’45.1″W). The field in the distance is the location of the former Riverside Mobile Home Park which was the film location for the Fat Trout Trailer Park.
This is such a cool behind-the-scenes shot of David Lynch directing Sarah Jean Long who played Miriam.
Richard locks eyes with Miriam who can’t believe what she just witnessed.
The Alpine Coachworks building is seen behind Richard’s truck as he continues down the road.
HEARTBREAK
The scene cuts back to the Mother holding her son in the middle of the intersection.
While she wails, more bystanders are seen gathered in front of the brick building. I would LOVE to know who played these folks. If you know or are one of the extras, please leave a comment below.
ENTER CARL RODD
Carl Rodd heard the mother’s crying and rushed to the scene.
He’s visibly shaken by what he sees but wants to help.
How I would have loved to see these two together.
LITTLE BOY’S SOUL RISES
Carl Rodd looks out to the mother and boy in the intersection.
As Carl watches the Mother, he sees the boy’s soul, presented as a golden flash-like shape, rise from his body toward the sky.
The camera follows toward a utility pole as the soul climbs higher.
Carl walks toward the Mother to offer her comfort.
Angelo Badalamenti’s tune “Accident / Farewell Theme” swells as the two exchange heartfelt looks.
More images of bystanders watching the accident in horror continue the scene.
An older couple looks on at the scene. They are standing by the corner of the Auto Repair of Snoqualmie shop. Any clue who they are? I’d love to find out.
A younger couple is seen standing in front of the red building with white trimmed windows. Sarah Yarborough played the girl in this young couple (she identified herself on IMDB.com).
The drivers on the street have gathered in the middle of Meadowbrook Way to watch this tragedy unfold. Again, I wish I knew who they were!
UTILITY POLE
The scene ends with a pan-up shot of a utility pole featuring the same numbers once found at the original Fat Trout Trailer Park. You can read more about the utility poles in this article. Look carefully and you’ll spot Mount Si (aka the “Twin Peaks” of Twin Peaks) in the background.
More shots of the Utility Pole on the corner of Meadowbrook Way and Park Street.
Here is a comparison shot of the utility pole from Part 6 versus an image I took in September 2019.
You can see the crew added the “6” and “324810” to the pole for the scene.
Finally I close with this college of the camera pan which gives a great look at the massive utility pole.
