Wild West on I-17

Using this FOX10 photo, we have been able it better identify the location of the wrong-way crash. Scroll through post.

(Final Editor's Note: It's about 7:30 PM and the I-17 SB lanes have been now closed for 9 hours.   We figure that these final hours have been spent to move the semi-trailer wreckage.  That mess simply isn't something you can move while keeping one lane open.  We'd expect that job is done or nearly done and we'd expect that the SB lanes would reopened soon, possibly well before 8 PM.  (The road reopened about 8:10PM. See copy of ADOT Tweet at end of post.) Note that this is just own own opinion and has NO connection whatsoever to ADOT.  Bear in mind, we've watched these sorts of incidents for over 30 years and have a pretty good feel for how they unfold.
We're signing off now and this is our final comment.  Remember that "Just Another Day on I-17" has a whole new meaning, right?  Good Night & Many Cheers, jp)

(Editor's Note: An updated ABC15 News report updated about 2:30 PM indicates that the collision may not have been fatal, contrary to earlier report.  See excerpt at end of this post with source link.)

A carjacking.  Shots fired at DPS Officers. A high speed chase.  A wrong way driver.  A head on collision.  That's the general outline of what we know about today's dramatic events on I-17.

As of 10:30 AM, the southbound lanes of I-17 were closed and would not reopen for many hours.  Meanwhile, as everyone knows, "Southbound Sunday" turned into a classic I-17 nightmare.  Traffic that hasn't already been caught in the closure has been diverted to either 89A or a really, really long detour to Highways 87 and 260.

Meanwhile, ADOT said traffic backed up 7-8 miles on 89A north of Sedona.  That distance is well north of Slide Rock State Park.

This blog post will be evolving over the next few hours until the southbound lanes reopen.  We will attempt to find out as much as possible about the events leading up to the crash that closed the highway.  Details are few and far between.  We will attempt to "source" each of our updates.  Your best source of accurate, up-to-the-minute information is the ADOT Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/ArizonaDOT

At 1:54 PM, DPS Tweeted these photos and said, "Our detectives, troopers & Yavapai Co. deputies are investigating two crime scenes southbound along #I17 between Munds Park & Camp Verde. (Source: https://twitter.com/Arizona_DPS)

Confusion exists as to the exact location of the crash. Some reports indicated Milepost 308 or 307 and some say Milepost 317. We're certain the crash took place near Milepost 307 for several reasons: 1) AZ DPS Col. Frank Milstead uses MP 307 in his Tweets; 2) The FOX10 photo at the top of this post shows the crash in an area that we personally well know; and 3) Milepost 307 is one mile north of the Stoneman Lake Road exit and the vegetation is a pinon-juniper forest. At Milepost 317, the vegetation is a Ponderosa Pine forest. Meanwhile I-17 is closed at Milepost 317 which is the Munds Park exit. That's probably how the confusion arose about the location of the crash. It is clear that the southbound lanes will be closed for an extended period while officials investigate, document, record and clear the scene. The story apparently began about 9 AM Sunday and we are working to find and list sources about the earlier events. The first Tweet that we can find about today's event is time stamped 9:18 AM.

A subsequent identical Tweet from Col. Milstead's account is time-stamped 10:18 AM. Meanwhile, the most recent Tweet from Col. Milstead's account is time-stamped 10:35 and indicates there was a "fatal collision".

Meanwhile, limited alternate routes are available to avoid the southbound snarl. Traffic is backed up for many miles in Oak Creek Canyon, possibly as far north as nearly to Slide Rock State Park. As everyone knows Southbound Sundays are typically the busiest and most congested on I-17 between Flagstaff and The Valley. Most of the visitors to The High Country are returning home on Sunday afternoon.

Most credible reports indicate the crash too place at Milepost 307. The FOX10 photo at the top of this post shows an area with which we are very familiar that is located perhaps 150-200 yard north of where I-17 crosses Rattlesnake Canyon about a mile north of the Stoneman Lake Road exit. Rattlesnake is a tributary of Woods Canyon which then becomes Dry Beaver Creek when it flows under Highway 179 between I-17 and the Village of Oak Creek.

ABC15 News has this report updated at about 2:30 PM. http://www.abc15.com/news/region-northern-az/flagstaff/i-17-closed-southbound-near-munds-park-for-deadly-crash-and-shooting-involving-carjacking-suspect

"DPS says there were reports of a red Mustang driving recklessly southbound on I-17 north of Camp Verde just before 10 a.m. The car crashed with a vehicle, and the driver of the Mustang got out and took a white GMC SUV from the crash scene at the point of a rifle.

The suspect fired at troopers pursuing the stolen SUV, DPS said, but no one was injured by the gunshots. 

The stolen SUV crashed head-on into a semi in the southbound lanes of I-17 about 15 miles south of Munds Park, according to a DPS spokesperson.

The suspect was airlifted from the scene with life-threatening injuries. DPS said the suspect remained alive as of Sunday afternoon, correcting earlier information provided by Col. Frank Milstead that the suspect had died in the crash.

The driver of the semi was not severely hurt, DPS said.

According to Col. Milstead, no troopers were injured in the incident."

The confusion about the Milepost of the crash may have  come from media use of the Milepost of the actual closure of I-17.  I-17 is closed at Milepost 317 which is the Munds Park exit.   Apparently, semi-trucks either can't or have chosen not to turn around at that exit so they are backed up alongside I-17.

We just received a report from a Dear Friend we trust  100%.  She was returning from Sedona to Rimrock via I-17 shortly after 1 PM.  After getting on I-17 at the Sedona exit, she passed police activity in the Southbound lanes at a point north of the McGuireville Rest Area.  She reported seeing a red Mustang with a crashed front and a truck showing rear collision damage.

This would be consistent with the DPS report about investigating two crime scenes on I-17 Southbound.  Based on information gleaned from the ABC15 report, this may have been the point where the carjacking took place.

It remains to be revealed what happened after the Tahoe was carjacked.  Did it travel south and then turn around?  Or did it go north in the southbound lanes from the  point of carjacking?  Where were the shots  fired at DPS Officers?  Many questions remain.

The ABC15 News reports attributes DPS as saying, "the driver of the Mustang got out and took a white GMC SUV from the crash scene at the point of a rifle."

Note that in the FOX10 News photo, a DPS Officer is carrying two AR-15 rifles away from the crashed GMC SUV.  Was one of these rifles used in the carjacking?

Typically DPS will issue most known facts of an incident within 24 hours of its occurrence.  We will add official information when it is released.

Below is just a mere glimpse of the standstill snarl at Munds Park and points north. Photo credit: Mike Schmidt, 3TV/CBS 5

Drivers and passengers stuck in this snarl need to remind themselves that what happened isn't "just a crash". Nope. It's a "Crime Scene" and there are huge differences in how DPS Officers are required to handle a normal crash versus a crime scene.

We're getting a little bit better idea of the timing of this incident. The AZFAMILY article linked here indicates the carjacking probably took place AFTER 10 AM since reports of reckless driving were coming in before 10 AM as per the article. The news report states, "Authorities said they began getting reports of a vehicle driving recklessly southbound along I-17 north of Camp Verde just before 10 a.m." The head on crash is said to have taken place "around 10:20 AM". http://www.azfamily.com/story/34484727/dps-carjacking-suspect-fires-at-troopers-ends-in-fatal-crash Flag Scanner copied and posted an MP3 audio file of the Dispatcher's communication during the chase and crash. It appears the Mustang was driven south on I-17 to around around Milepost 291 and then North in the correct lanes to Stoneman Lake Road. It was here that the Mustang then crossed into the Southbound lanes. Scrolll through Flag scanner's post until you see the link shown by the arrow in the screen clip below. Get some headphones. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=754752111354724&set=a.100448770118398.974.100004598250156&type=3

Here's a copy of the ADOT Tweet announcing the road reopening. Notice the time stamp of 8:10 PM.

1-17 South Point of Beginning

The southern end of I-17 begins where 24th Street goes under The Maricopa Freeway near the far southwest corner of Sky Harbor Airport.  Technically, I-17's POB (Point Of Beginning) is Milepost 193.89 but there is no sign marking the highway's actual POB.  The sign at I-17's POB is actually Milepost 150 for I-10.

"I-17 has the unusual distinction of starting at approximately milepost 193.89 instead of at milepost zero. This is a holdover from Arizona's old system of marking mileposts, where a branching route would continue the milepost numbering of its original host, instead of starting over at zero. Interstate 17 inherited its milepost locations from SR 69, which the freeway replaced between Phoenix and Cordes Junction. SR 69's mileposting was such that it coincided with US 89's mileposting, which was 201.6 where the two routes intersected. When I-17 was constructed, the existing mileposting for SR 69 was retained." (Source 1)

We were able to learn of I-17's precise southern POB by studying an ADOT Right-Of-Way document.  the key information is shown above.  It appears from the ADOT document that the west edge of the 24th Street alignment is actually the true POB for I-17 but it may actually be the centerline of 24th Street.  We are attempting to clarify that very minor fine point. (Source 2)

Above is the very nondescript spot on 24th Street where I-17 begins on the overpass deck above.  We visited this site at 8:30 AM, January 4, 2017.

For anyone wishing to visit I-17's southern POB, we recommend parking in the Best Western motel lot a short distance south of The Maricopa Freeway. (See "A" in above photo.)  There is a safe sidewalk on the west side of 24th Street.  Proceed under the Maricopa and then climb the north embankment of the freeway. (See "B" in above photo.) Stay well outside the guardrail for your safety.

The I-17 sign above appears to be the first actual I-17 marker. The location is actually rather picturesque.  It is adjacent to the landing pattern of one of the 3000-acre Sky Harbor Airport's busy runways.  The site also affords a nice distant view of downtown Phoenix and a stand of nearby mature palm trees add to the interstate highway ambiance.  Abundant urban photo ops abound.

Our next project will be to visit and document the northern end of I-17 in Flagstaff.

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.