What is believed to be the body of Suellen Roberts was discovered off of Interstate 40 just west of Seligman this morning. Deputies used leads provided by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to find the body near the highway, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.  Suellen and her daughter, Lexis, were reported missing from Las Vegas in September.

The leads come just a day after police in Mississippi arrested an acquaintance of Roberts, 53-year-old Thomas Sanders, on murder charges.  Roberts was arrested Sunday for the murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts.  Lexis’ body was found in early October by a group of hunters in a Louisiana swamp.

Coconino County Sheriff’s investigators are helping to establish a timeline of events involving Sanders and the Roberts after finding out that the three stayed in a Flagstaff motel in September, and that the three visited the Grand Canyon together. The YCSO says that Suellen Roberts became friends with Sanders earlier this year, and decided to take her daughter along for a vacation with Sanders.

The FBI is awaiting an autopsy and positive identification of the body by Yavapai County medical examiners to determine whether Sanders is also linked to the death of Suellen Roberts.

Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction on I-40 throughout the work zone, which stretches from the Riordan railroad overpass (mile post 190) and Country Club Drive, an 11-mile stretch.

Officials say that workers will work up to 24 hours a day to complete the project by this fall. Closures may be shortened or extended due to weather and equipment availability.

This week’s closures:

6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21

• Closed: on- and off-ramps at Butler Avenue

6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 22

• Closed: on- and off-ramps and crossing over I-40 at Country Club Road

The speed limit through the work zone is 45 miles per hour.

For the latest closure information, visit www.az511.com or dial 5-1-1 from your mobile phone.

This week's closures (courtesy: ADOT)

Paving work will cause workers to temporarily close on- and off-ramps. (Courtesy: ADOT)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– Soon, drivers will have a smoother ride on 20 miles of Interstate 40, but they will have to deal with some delays first.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is conducting “pavement preservation,” or repaving the top layer of asphalt on the roadway.  Work will stretch from the Riordan railroad overpass (exit 190) west of town to the Country Club exit (exit 210) in Flagstaff.

ADOT says that I-40 is one of the most important roads in the state, both for moving people and goods. ADOT and its contractor will keep a tight schedule in order to complete the pavement work by this fall. ”Crews will work up to 24 hours a day seven days a week, beginning at 5 a.m. on Monday, July 12,” according to Flagstaff District Engineer John Harper.

Motorists can expect delays, but ADOT says that at least one lane will be open in each direction throughout the project.  However, on- and off-ramps will be closed intermittently as work progresses past those areas.  Speeds will be reduced to 45 mph in the work zone.

ADOT cautions drivers that unscheduled closures may occur.

For the latest information on closures in the work zone, you can visit ADOT’s real-time traffic information system online at www.az511.com, or dial 5-1-1 on your cell phone.

The construction comes on the heels of a repaving operation of I-17 between Milton Road and the I-40 interchange. Heavy traffic, snow and plowing operations over the past few years have deteriorated area highways and Interstates, leaving rough surfaces and potholes.

**FILE PHOTO** In this April 28, 2010 photo, strong winds blew over a boat trailer. I-40 has been closed numerous times due to wind since April 1st. (Photo: Chad Black/APSN.us)

Sunday Evening Update:  ADOT is reporting that I-40 is beginning to reopen between Flagstaff and Winslow. Officials are also saying that some delays can be expected as backed up traffic begins to enter into the area.

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– ADOT has once again closed Interstate 40 due to high winds and blowing dust.

At around 11:15 this morning, ADOT announced that the highway between Flagstaff and Winslow is closed.

The Arizona Department of Transportation closed I-40 yesterday due to the blowing dust stemming from a low pressure system that has caused high winds out ahead of the storm front.  The highway was reopened yesterday evening, but crews closed the road again this morning between milepost 219 and milepost 252 (Winslow) due to deteroriating conditions.

An automated weather station on I-40 at Two Guns is reporting 55 mile-per-hour wind gusts this morning. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff has issued a Dust Storm Warning for much of northern Arizona, and a High Wind Warning is also in effect for the closure area between Winona and Winslow.

State Route 99 from Winslow south is also closed due to the dust storm.

Officials have not announced when they plan to reopen the Interstate.  DPS is turning vehicles around at the closure sites.

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ADOT Road Closure Info:  www.az511.gov or dial 5-1-1 on your mobile phone.

I-17 North bound at mile post 235.6 (New River) – Road closed due to landslide at MP 237/Cordes Junction area.

Desert View Drive, the eastern-most portion of the Grand Canyon rim road, is closed and
expected to remain closed for the evening.

I-17/I-40: Closed as of 6pm until further notice.

State route 89A closed from Flagstaff to Sedona.

SR-89A SB @ MP 342.8 (Prescott/Sedona) – Road has reopened following mudslide

US 180 (mile post 236.8 to 250, Flagstaff) is closed and is expected to remain closed for the rest of this week.

SR 87 NB: One lane closed due to mud/rockslide just south off Slate Creek/Sunflower (approx. MP 200)- highway may be closed due to unstable roadway conditions.

SR 87 @ mp 338.9 (Holbrook Dist, Winslow area) – Highway has reopened with chains and 4-wheel drive required between Winslow and Pine/Strawberry.

SR 260: 4-wheel drive and chains are required between Heber and Payson.

Hermit Road, the western-most portion of the Grand Canyon Rim Road is closed until further noticed due to poor driving conditions.

SR 97 at mile post  157 (Kingman Dist, Wikieup area) – Highway closed due to flooding and rocks.

US 60, Globe to Show Low — Chains or4-wheel drive required (Salt River Canyon).

SR 88 mp 213-226 (Globe)- Closed due to flooding.

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Check back here at NAZ Today for updates on the latest road closures and conditions.

DPS Command Post set up at the ADOT Flagstaff District Office on Milton Road (NAZ Today/Patrick Walker)

*This story first appeared Monday, 1/18*

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– The threat of several feet of snow this week has prompted the Department of Public Safety to set up a command post in Flagstaff.

After working with a “skeleton crew” earlier this morning, a full shift’s worth of DPS officers were on duty by the afternoon hours in the Flagstaff area, according to DPS Sgt. Brian Eekhoff.  He said that there were already a number of slide-offs that officers were responding to on area highways and interstates.  If the number of slide-offs and accidents continues to grow, Eekhoff says that additional officers could be called in from other towns like Camp Verde and Prescott.

Back in December, DPS officers were very busy during the snowstorm that included a blizzard at one point.  Because of the number of officers working during the storm and the area that had to be covered, it was hard to coordinate efforts with other departments.  ”We had some trouble communicating with ADOT during the peak of the storm, so we decided to set up a command post right here [at the ADOT District Office on Milton],” Sgt. Eekhoff said.  The command post will allow for supervisors to more effectively communicate with ADOT officials next door in their offices, helping to coordinate information on road conditions, accident locations, and road closures as needed.

ADOT snow plows in formation clear Milton Road in front of Target. DPS is working to better coordinate with ADOT. (NAZ Today/Patrick Walker)

Eekhoff also says that there is somewhat of a pattern with the accidents that happen during snowstorms.  He says that the bulk of the accidents and slide-offs that DPS responds to happen when the storms are just starting, or while you can still see asphalt.  Out of town drivers, especially motorists from California heading east on I-40 or from Phoenix heading north on I-17, continue driving at normal speeds and hit the slick roads, causing the accidents.  Accidents tend to decrease in frequency when the roads become snow-packed and several inches have accumulated on the side of the road, because motorists slow down and drive more carefully with the presence of the snow, Eekoff added.

DPS Command Vehicle (NAZ Today/Patrick Walker)

As always, DPS reminds motorists to slow down and increase stopping distances during times of bad weather.  Be mindful of stopped vehicles and emergency workers near accidents.

DPS reports indicate that one of the commercial tractor trailers owned by Schneider National Inc. was traveling west bound, up a hill when it was rear-ended by another commercial tractor trailer traveling at a higher rate of speed.  As a result of  the impact the fuel tanks on one of the tractor-trailers ruptured and ignited a fire.  The trailer of the Schneider National truck was consumed along with the tractor trailer that ran into the back of the Schneider truck.

Hazardous Materials Technicians from DPS and the Flagstaff Fire Department were called to the scene because the Schneider National trailer contained a load of hazardous materials which included lighter fluid and 300 pounds of an unknown corrosive material.

I-40 was closed in both directions. At 7:19 a.m. I-40 was reopened to westbound traffic after the fire had been extinguished and experts on scene determined the hazardous materials did not pose a threat to air quality.

The driver and co-driver of the first vehicle were not injured in the collision. The driver and co-driver of the second vehicle were both transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center where they were treated for non life threatening injuries.

DPS investigators believe that driver fatigue may have been a factor in this accident.

All lanes of I-40 re-opened at about 11 a.m.

Several highways are closed around nothern Arizona. A DPS officer instructs a motorist to turn around. (Photo: Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

WEDNESDAY, 10:30 AM:   I-40 reopened this morning, along with SR 260 and SR 87 between Winslow and Payson, and Heber and Payson. Snow and ice are still on these roadways, so ADOT advises that motorists drive with caution.

UPDATE (9 PM)– I-40 remains closed this evening between Ash Fork and Flagstaff (mileposts 146-196).  I-17 Northbound is open at milepost 299 to Flagstaff.  I-40 East at milepost 72 in western Arizona is closed now due to weather.

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– (6:00 PM)– Heavy snowfall and wind have caused ADOT and the Arizona Department of Public Safety to close several highways around the northern part of the state this evening.

Interstate 40 is closed between Butler Avenue in Flagstaff and Ash Fork due to several accidents, according to DPS Spokesman Howard Sanders, including a multi-vehicle pileup near Williams and a collision between two semi trucks near Bellemont.  In total, Sanders says that DPS has responded to over 20 collisions and nearly 50 slid-offs on Interstates 40 and 17.  “DPS is requesting the motoring public to drastically slow down their travel speeds to prevent loss of vehicle control, collisions and slide-offs,” said Sanders.

ADOT is reporting that 1-17 has become nearly impassable from State Route 179 north to Munds Park, resulting in its closure.  The road is closed fro SR 179 to I40 in Flagstaff. Just before the closure, DPS Spokesman Sanders says that stretch of road was becoming too dangerous for travel.  “The snowfall, slippery roadway conditions and continuous collisions and slide-offs may result on the closure of Interstate 17,” says Sanders.

A Gila County Sheriff's deputy turns motorists around in Star Valley. SR 260 is closed this evening. (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

Elsewhere, snowfall began around 4 pm at the lower elevations on the front of the Mogollon Rim.  Payson saw between 1-2 inches between 4:00 and 4:30 pm, with heavier snow falling along and on top of the Mogollon Rim, prompting officials to close State Routes 87 and 260.  SR 260 eastbound is closed to through traffic on the east end of Star Valley, with a hard closure at Little Green Valley, nine miles east of Payson.  Westbound, SR 260 is closed at Heber/Overgaard.

State Route 87 North is closed to all traffic (hard closure) at the northern Payson city limits (Home Depot roundabout), according to a Payson Police Department spokesperson.  Southbound, SR 87 is closed at the Winslow city limits.

State Route 87 is closed between Payson and Winslow due to snow and poor visibility. (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

Public safety officials from around northern Arizona are urging people to stay off the road and avoid travel if possible.

For the latest road conditions and updates, visit the ADOT Traffic Conditions website, www.az511.com or dial 5-1-1 on your mobile phone.

An ADOT snowplow clears part of State Route 87 in Payson. Plows will be working through the night across northern Arizona to clear and reopen state and US highways, along with Interstates 17 and 40. (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

Rollover accident I-17 near the Newman Park exit Nov. 13, 2009. (APSN.us/ Chad Black)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) – A winter storm moving through Northern Arizona on Friday, November 13th brought a combination of rain, snow, and hail to the area causing a number of accidents along I-40 and I-17.  In total the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reporting that 25 collisions occurred in and around the Flagstaff area on Friday.

Some of the most significant accidents included a vehicle rollover accident along I-17 near the Neuman Park exit.  Rescue crews had to use the ‘Jaws of Life” to cut away the roof  of a van in order to free three people who were trapped inside.  Two of the patients were transported to Flagtstaff Medical Center (FMC) in critical condition.  As rescue crews were preparing to transport the third patient to the hospital steam began pouring from the engine compartment of the ambulance.  The third patient was loaded into a second ambulance and transported to FMC.  Just north of the van rollover, a truck had also rolled over on I-17.  Three people in the truck were also transported to FMC.

On Friday at approximately 10 p.m. a combination of heavy rain, snow, and hail was reported in the area between Bellemont and Parks.   Three accidents were also reported in this area along I-40.  One of the accidents involved an SUV that rolled over while traveling west-bound on I-40 near Bellemont. The other two accidents in the area were minor, with  no major injuries being reported from these accidents.

The DPS want to remind drivers to slow down during bad weather conditions.  The posted speed limit may not be a safe speed to travel during bad weather.  Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Braking and stopping distances will also be affected by wet roads and icy /slippery roadway surfaces.

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Information for this story provided by:

APSN.us

Arizona Department of Public Safety

Kingman police say a dead body was found below the railroad overpass on the south side of eastbound I-40 at what appeared to be a mini-encampment off the tracks.

Kingman police Sgt. Bob Fisk said the body appeared to have been there anywhere from three to five days based on decomposition.

The body was found face down in a seated position.

Initially police couldn’t tell if the body was male or female, but a man’s boot was found at the scene, along with several other items, including scattered bottles of booze.

No immediate cause of death was found at the scene, but Fisk said foul play has been ruled out.

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Information from: Kingman Daily Miner

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.