Car left running; man dies

A 93-year-old Lakeside man died early Thursday morning after a series of somewhat bizarre circumstances led to what coroners think was his poisoning.

Coroners suspect Victor Verkuehlem died after exhaust from his neighbor's car slowly leaked into his apartment during about 13 hours.

"All the evidence on the scene indicates carbon monoxide poisoning," said coroner and Flathead County Undersheriff Pete Wingert.

An investigation failed to turn up any foul play, but a blood sample is being sent to the state crime lab in Missoula to determine an exact cause of death.

Verkuehlem, who lived alone, had rented the basement of a couple's home on Bills Road in Lakeside for the last two years. The couple that owns the home, an 82-year-old man and his wife, live upstairs.

According to reports, sometime around 2 p.m. Wednesday the 82-year-old husband returned home from getting a haircut. He pulled the car into the garage, put it in park and then went inside.

About two hours later the husband noticed a strange smell. He called his son, who lives nearby, to come over and check it out. Neither of them could find anything amiss, according to reports.

At about 6 p.m., the husband noticed the smell getting stronger. He called his son to come over again to look for the problem. They checked the pilot lights and appliances, but found nothing. The father and son went to the basement to ask Verkuehlem if he has noticed anything. Verkuehlem said he hadn't, and they left.

The elderly couple went to bed at about 10 p.m., according to reports. The husband woke up at about 3 a.m. to use the bathroom, but when he stood up, he got dizzy and fainted. His wife woke when she heard the thud. She got out of bed to help, but also got dizzy and started to faint. She managed to call 911 before passing out.

When the Somers/Lakeside Fire Department arrived, they found the car still running in the garage. The enging had been going for about 13 hours, since the husband had returned from his haircut.

They also found Verkuehlem, dead in his chair.

The car's gas tank had been filled just prior to the husband's appointment, allowing it run all afternoon and night, reports showed.

The couple was admitted to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center, but suffered no permanent damage.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com