FLAGSTAFF – On August 3rd at about 9:30 PM, a fatal collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian occurred in the 2000 block of east Butler Avenue near the Motel 6. 56 year old Kee Begay of Flagstaff was attempting to cross the street and was struck by a vehicle. Police medical personnel arrived on scene. Responding officers called for Detectives as well as the Accident Reconstruction Team. Kee was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash.
The driver remained on scene until police arrived. He then performed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, and there were no apparent signs of impairment. Speed does not appear to have been a factor in this collision.
PHOENIX – If you have the misfortune to be involved in a non-injury fender bender on a freeway, do not leave your car stopped in travel lanes, while you circle the vehicle taking photos of dents and dings from dozens of angles and waiting for a forensics team to arrive and piece together the cause of the collision.
That’s not safe and they’re not coming.
If you find yourself in this situation move your vehicle to the shoulder where you can safely exchange information with the other driver, inspect your vehicle for damage and wait for law enforcement to arrive. This is called “Quick Clearance” and is a traffic incident management strategy that keeps motorists safe and traffic moving.During National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Awareness Week (November 11-17), the Arizona Department of Transportation, Arizona Department of Public Safety and other traffic-safety stakeholders are providing the traveling public with TIM tips. In addition, motorists will see TIM-related safety messages on overhead signs and on social media this week.
“Not only do TIM techniques keep traffic moving as efficiently and smoothly as possible,” said Derek Arnson, ADOT’s Traffic Management Group manager, “they make it safer for those involved in the incident, safer for those responding to the incident and safer for the motorists traveling near the incident.”
Nearly 350 vehicle crashes occur every day in Arizona and most will be visited by emergency responders, which can include law enforcement, fire departments, medical services, transportation crews and tow trucks. Different responders have different duties on scene – some tend to victims and others gather information about the incident, while others remove damaged vehicles and clear space to make travel safer for other motorists – but all are practicing TIM techniques.
“TIM strategies are used by first responders on a daily basis to keep motorists safe on Arizona’s roadways, while reducing traffic congestion that often causes secondary collisions,” said Lt. Col. Wayde Webb of the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol Division.
While responders employ a variety of TIM strategies that keep motorists safe and traffic moving efficiently, the public plays a role, too. First, motorists can practice “Quick Clearance,” a state law that requires a driver involved in a minor crash without injuries to remove their vehicle from the roadway if it is operable and can be moved safely. In addition to moving vehicles from the roadway to increase safety, Arizona’s “Move Over” law requires motorists to move over one lane – or slow down if it’s not safe to change lanes – when approaching any vehicle with flashing lights pulled to the side of a road or highway.
Giving responders space to work can be a life-saving action, said Angela Barnett, Executive Director of the Arizona Professional Towing and Recovery Association. On average, one tow truck operator is struck and killed every six days in the United States, according to national crash statistics.
“Give us room to do our jobs,” Barnett said. “When you see an incident or flashing lights ahead, please pay attention and slow down. It’s real life out there and we all want to go home at the end of the day.”
Remember, if you are involved in a crash, the first action to take is to make sure you and occupants in your vehicle are OK. Then, if your vehicle is operable, move to the emergency shoulder, median or exit the highway and call 911. Stay out of travel lanes, be alert and watch approaching traffic. Never leave the scene of a crash.
WILLIAMS – On November 3rd at 11:19 am Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a single vehicle accident involving a 2-year-old boy.
Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a residence in the Valle area—which is approximately 25 miles north of Williams, Arizona—for a report of a child who had been hit by a pick-up truck. The father reported that the child had been struck by a neighbor’s vehicle. The father of the boy sought emergency assistance by taking the injured child to the house a Department of Public Safety trooper who lived nearby. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the residence and transported the child to the Valle Airport where they met Guardian medics and Guardian Air. The child was pronounced dead at the airport by medics on scene.
Initial information indicates that a neighbor had been helping the family haul water. The child appeared to have been hit when the pickup truck was backing up to connect to the water trailer.
The child was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the incident is still under investigation.
Other agencies that assisted in response to this incident include Guardian Medical Transport and Guardian Air, Lifeline Air, Tusayan Fire Department, and High Country Fire Department.
Leupp Road Az – On March 3rd, at approximately 8:04 a.m., Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to Leupp Road, Mile Post 438 for the report of a 2 vehicle head on Collision, with multiple injuries. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, along with Summit Fire Department, Guardian Ground and Air units, responded and treated 5 Victims. 1 victim was transported by Helicopter and 4 by Ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Center.
At this time Leupp road is reduced to one lane at Mile Post 438. Residents and travelers can expect delays and a 1 lane closure for most of the day. The cause of accident is under investigation at this time. More details will follow as they become available.
WILLIAMS – A busy, cold morning for first responders began with the Williams Fire Department responding to a fire at the Newpac Lumber yard at 675 Garland Prairie Road in Williams at about 4:50 a.m. The Williams Fire Department called for the assistance of the Sherwood Fire Department early in the fire and, with the workers at the Newpac Lumber yard, battled the blaze until about 9:10 when the fire department began overhaul procedures.The Williams Fire Department continually sprayed foam on the burning logs as the workers used cranes to move logs. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
A slight veil of smoke covered I-40, but the impact of visibility appears to be minimum. No injuries were reported.While the fire department was fighting this, the Ash Fork Fire Department, Department of Public Service and Lifeline Ambulance responded to a one-vehicle roll-over at mile 149 on I-40 at about 8:20 a.m. Fortunately no serious injury was reported. An investigation is ongoing.
FLAGSTAFF – A Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Volunteer conducting a holiday patrol was flagged down by a citizens yesterday at approximately 3:30 p.m at Lake Mary. The citizens reported that a young male individual had been swimming near buoys located south of the boat ramp. The swimmer reportedly had some difficulty making it back to shore while approximately 100 feet from land. He was seen going beneath the water and not returning to the surface by several family members who entered the water in attempts to locate him.
Deputies from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and US Forest Service Law Enforcement responded to the scene and entered the water in attempt to locate the victim. It was determined at that time that the depth where the victim was last seen was over 10 feet deep and visibility was very poor. These initial response units were supplemented by response from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Flagstaff Fire Department and a Department of Public Safety Helicopter. Several citizens who were in the area also assisted with the search efforts by providing the use of their boats.
Search efforts continued into the evening and at approximately 9:30 pm members of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team recovered a body in close proximity to where the victim had last been seen.
The body of the victim identified as 18-year-old Kevin Anaya of Mesa, AZ was turned over to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. This case remains under investigation by Sheriff’s Office Detectives and the County Medical Examiner.
WILLIAMS – Williams first responders responded to an overturned semi-truck on I-40 about five-miles east of Williams about 9:10 a.m. The multi-agency response also consisted of Arizona Department of Public Safety, Lifeline ambulance and animal control from Flagstaff.
A semi-truck with a load of chicken overturned on I-40 westbound about five-miles west of Williams landing approximately 130-feet off of the freeway. The driver suffered minor lacerations to the face and was transported by Lifeline Ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Facility.
The driver had five Chihuahuas in the cab which appear to have not been injured. The report is three Chihuahua adults and two pups. A team from Flagstaff was dispatched to take care of the dogs.
WILLIAMS — ADOT and Kaibab Forest Service are re-routing traffic due to a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 40 early this morning. The number of vehicles and fatalities is unknown at this time. The smoke from the Pittman Valley prescribed burn may have been a factor in the accident. Smoke from the burn has reduced visibility to near zero and may hamper rescue and clearing efforts.
Route 66 to Parks currently remains open, but it is highly recommended that you use extreme caution as the smoke is affecting visibility along the route. If you do not absolutely have to travel to Flagstaff, it is recommended that you wait to check conditions in about four-hours.
A report from our Facebook page:
Sarah Jorgensen-Weller 32 mins I40 is closed in both directions from Parks to Flagstaff due to a deadly accident. Please be careful driving through the smoke. hearing from Belmont to Williams Some guys that work with my hubby are stuck in traffic around Parks. They are stopping traffic at Belmont westbound eastbound detours off of 165 .
WILLIAMS — An accident occurred on 2nd Street near Sheridan Avenue last night at approximately 5:45 p.m. It appears that a white vehicle was traveling north on 2nd toward downtown when it struck the back of a black Toyota pickup. Witnesses said the white car hit hard enough to spin. Witnesses heard the accident in their homes as far as First Street.
Police arrived at about 5:50 p.m. and an ambulance was called to the scene to check out the single male occupant of the white vehicle. It did not appear that his injuries were serious enough to transport.
WILLIAMS — The Williams Post Office was damaged in a vehicle accident earlier today. Witnesses at the scene indicate the driver cited brake failure. There was no report of injuries.
The accident caused structural damage to the stamp selling area, but the mail drop off and boxes remained open. It is unclear what impact the accident will have on mail delivery.
That’s not safe and they’re not coming.
WILLIAMS – A busy, cold morning for first responders began with the Williams Fire Department responding to a fire at the Newpac Lumber yard at 675 Garland Prairie Road in Williams at about 4:50 a.m. 
The Williams Fire Department called for the assistance of the Sherwood Fire Department early in the fire and, with the workers at the Newpac Lumber yard, battled the blaze until about 9:10 when the fire department began overhaul procedures.
The Williams Fire Department continually sprayed foam on the burning logs as the workers used cranes to move logs. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. 
While the fire department was fighting this, the Ash Fork Fire Department, Department of Public Service and Lifeline Ambulance responded to a one-vehicle roll-over at mile 149 on I-40 at about 8:20 a.m. Fortunately no serious injury was reported. An investigation is ongoing.
WILLIAMS — The Williams Post Office was damaged in a vehicle accident earlier today. Witnesses at the scene indicate the driver cited brake failure. There was no report of injuries.