Car lands in tree
Emergency workers from Whitefish Fire/Rescue prepare to remove a man from his Jeep Cherokee after the man ran off U.S. 93 and crashed into the trees Tuesday afternoon south of Whitefish. Karen Nichols/Daily Inter Lake
The Daily Inter Lake
A 68-year-old Eureka man was in stable condition Tuesday evening at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after his car ran off U.S. 93 and rolled roof-first into a copse of trees.
He was southbound on U.S. 93 near East Blanchard Lake Road at about 1:45 p.m. when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel and drifted off the road, according to Montana Highway Patrol trooper Dustin LeRette. The Jeep crossed both lanes of northbound traffic and the approaches to two driveways before jumping the ditch.
Right before the Jeep hit a stand of trees, the driver jerked the wheel away from the obstacle - which caused the car to pivot on its right front tire, throw the rear end into the air, and roll roof-first into the woods.
It took firefighters almost 45 minutes to cut the driver from the wreckage. He reportedly suffered a broken neck in the crash, but remained conscious, spoke with rescuers during the extrication and was able to move his arms and legs.
Rescuers used several heavy-duty jacks to stabilize the car while removing the driver from underneath the crushed roof, but the Jeep was so firmly wedged among the trees that crews had to cut one down before removing the vehicle.
Personnel on the scene credited the man's survival to airbags and his use of a seat belt.
"That's the luckiest guy in town today," said Whitefish Fire Department Chief Dave Sipe.
The Whitefish Fire Department and Montana Highway Patrol responded to the crash.