1 dead, 5 injured in Lake County accidents

One man is dead in Arlee after he rolled his truck and became pinned underneath it, according to a Montana Highway Patrol report.

Trooper Nicholas Navarro responded to the 3:20 a.m. accident, where he determined that a man driving a white GMC Suburban, was traveling east on a roadway near the intersection of South Couture Loop, lost control of his truck, veered off the right side, encountered several trees and roadside debris, rolled back onto the street and came to rest on it side.

The driver, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was partially ejected from the truck and pinned underneath, Navarro’s report said.

The driver was declared deceased at the scene, the report said. 

Several hours later a man who said he was severely injured during the early morning Arlee rollover crawled away from the scene, and needed help.

The man called Lake County emergency dispatchers at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon and gave them a cryptic description of where he was located.

His phone was “pinged” to the North Couture Loop area, Don Bell, Lake County Sheriff said.

Lake County Search and Rescue man trackers, multiple Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and a Two Bear Air crew rushed to the south county scene in hopes of finding the man, but after three hours of searching found no one, Bell said.

After realizing they needed more location information, authorities tried to “ping” the man’s phone again but were unable to get further GPS information, he said.

The man was not heard from since his original call.

Bell said the Two Bear Air crew was released from the scene at about 5 p.m. Sunday, but his office and Search and Rescue personnel continue to look for the man.

Boat explosion rocks mountain lake

Blast throws five into the Seely/Swan Lake

Four children and one adult were injured when the boat on which they were riding exploded at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Don Bell, Lake County Sheriff said.

The explosion threw all five people into the Seely/Swan Lake.

A nearby pontoon boater saw the explosion and saved the victims from the water, Bell said.

All the victims were injured and sustained burns, he said.

The four children were transported to area hospitals by air and the adult was transported by ground travel, Bell said.