Trick or trucks

The day before Halloween 2017 saw two trucks get into trouble near the Sedona exit.  Luckily, no one was killed but numerous people were injured, some possibly seriously.

(NOTE: The first two photos are from Copper Canyon Fire & Medical Authority and the remainder except as noted are by Vyto Starinskas of Verde Valley News.)

Here's what happened.  The first truck somehow went off the Soutbound right lane into the bar ditch while the trailer kept going south and flipped over blocking both southbound lanes.  Meanwhile, the semi tractor burst into flames.  Luckily, the driver was able to bail out before he was injured.

Well, naturally, as you can easily see, this resulted in a complete stoppage of all southbound traffic.
Traffic began to back up farther and farther north in the southbound lanes until it finally began to back up into a perennial danger zone just downhill from the truck runaway ramp.  The truck runaway ramp was built after a runaway truck killed a family of 8 people stopped in a line of traffic just north of the Sedona exit back in the 1980's.

A speeding semi came around the curve by the runaway ramp.  And, naturally, the semi did what speeding semis are wont to do in such a case. It plowed into a bunch of stopped cars, crashing them willy nilly hither and yon.

According to the Verde Independent, "“This accident appeared to be caused by a tractor trailer that was unable to slow down in time and struck several vehicles that were stopped due to the first accident,” said Fire Chief Keller. A total of ten patients were assessed, and seven were transported with five ambulances from CCFMA, VVFD, SFD, Verde Valley Ambulance, and Pinewood Fire District.  A total of four patients were transported to Flagstaff with more serious injuries, while the other three went to Verde Valley Medical Center, according to the release. It was reported that the resulting traffic jam extended up the grade nearly to the Stoneman Lake Road exit before the Department of Public Safety and Arizona Department of Transportation were able to open one lane of traffic for southbound travel."

The above photo was posted by the ADOT Twitter at 2:335 PM, October 30, 2017

.Here are two videos of both crash scenes by Vyto Starinskas of Verde Valley News

Below are 3 maps of crash locations.  Crash #1 is located on map within perhaps 100 feet of actual location.  Crash #2 is more approximate with perhaps one-quarter mile accuracy.

Dan Bell Memorial Bridge

"Dan Bell Memorial Bridge will bring back memories for some motorists because of the help he gave them while stranded on the side of the road, the gift of a teddy bear or small quilt to a child, perhaps a story or help he gave while having coffee with the boys at the coffee shop, the knowledge he gave so freely to those less fortunate...or it might be the thought and love of his family to be able to give him a tribute."

And so began, "a labor of love".  After 46 years of marriage, Elaine Bell mounted a dedicated, dogged and determined campaign to put her late husband's name on I-17's twin bridges over The Verde River at Milepost 287.93.

Mrs. Bell eventually became a proverbial "irresistible force" who won over skeptics, critics and naysayers one-by-one until November 2007 when the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names finally voted 4-2 to officially rename each river crossing, the "Dan Bell Memorial Bridge."

Dan Bell served admirably and respectfully for almost six years as a Civilian Reserve volunteer for Arizona's Department of Public Safety (DPS).  He died May 26, 2006, at I-17 Milepost 284.2 while on duty assisting a motorist with a flat tire.

An official May 29, 2006, news release stated (in part), "Mr. Bell's contribution to the Arizona Department of Public safety and the Citizens of Arizona is immeasurable.  For nearly six years, Mr. Bell has assisted Officers at collisions, crime scenes and with stranded motorists.  His contributions allowed swore Officers more time to concentrate their efforts on DUI enforcement, criminal interdiction and traffic law enforcement.

Dan dedicated himself with great enthusiasm to serving the public by being involved as a volunteer ensuring the safety and well being of countless citizens traveling throughout the State of Arizona.  Dan's unwavering commitment to service and his numerous positions in the community demonstrate the moral fabric of a man with a steadfast approach to upholding justice and the fortitude to remain true to his philanthropic principles." 

DPS Director Roger Vanderpool and ADOT Director Victor Mendez were among the speakers at the dedication of the Dan Bell Memorial Bridge on Interstate 17 over the Verde River. The ceremony was May 24, 2008, at the DPS Camp Verde office on Finnie Flat Road. Dan Bell's wife, Elaine, children Tana Bryant, Daniel Bell and Andrea Weber and Family members turned out in the rain to honor his memory. The DPS chaplain and former Yavapai-Apache Nation Chairman Vincent Randall were part of the ceremony. The service ended with the release of doves and was followed by a barbeque. Bell was a DPS reserve who died on duty two years ago.

Elaine Bell holds a photo of her beloved husband of 46 years, Dan Bell.
"Word of the approval became a day of joy in the Bell household. The work was not only for the husband she still loves but also for their children. It helped close a chapter in her life and prepare her for the next."
To read about Mrs. Bell's quest to rename the bridges click here:
http://www.cvbugle.com/news/2008/may/06/i-17-bridge-to-get-new-name/

(In case the above link fails to work, we have archived the article on Google Drive.  It can be accessed there via this link: https://goo.gl/Ighl7g)

There are a variety of sources for this story and readers are invited to dig a little deeper to appreciate the difficult, tedious and time-consuming process Mrs. Bell went through to have the bridges named in honor of her late husband.Mrs. Bell's application for the name change can be seen as a small part of a 113-page document for a Town of Camp Verde Council meeting conducted August 15, 2007.  See pages 2-37.

http://www.campverde.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/08-15-07-Binder7.pdf

In case the above link ever fails to work, we have archived the document on Google Drive here https://goo.gl/FglrEm

There is small article about Mr. Bell's service and passing in the DPS "Digest" of May/June 2006.  It is located here and has not been archived to our Google Drive:
http://www.azdps.gov/Media/Digest/Home/View/?FileID=242

Here is the brief note and photo regarding the dedication ceremony May 24, 2008:

http://www.cvbugle.com/news/2008/may/27/bell-bridge-dedication/

The twin 1-17 bridges over The Verde River are each 522 feet long, 45 feet wide and 25 feet high.  The southbound bridge was built in 1961 and the northbound in 1979.  Both spans have received various modifications over the years.  Extensive, pro-active flood control infrastructure has been added to protect the vital crossing.  The Town of Camp Verde has plans to build a large park and Verde River access point on land adjacent to the southbound (north & upriver) bridge.