BOZEMAN — A man died after his vehicle flipped and became submerged upside-down in water along Lower North Fork Road, according to the Beaverhead County Sheriff's Office.
Beaverhead County Sheriff David Wendt identified the man as Trevor Lee Nelson of Wisdom; he was 43 years old.
It happened on Sunday, September 21, 2025, as Nelson was making a left-hand turn in his vehicle, commonly known as a Humvee; the vehicle went off the road to the right and overturned into a pond beside the road.
Nelson was trapped and died at the scene; he was the only occupant of the vehicle.
Authorities discovered the overturned vehicle at around 10:37 a.m. with only the tires showing above the water surface.
A deputy who responded to the scene saw that the driver's side door appeared to have been forced open, indicating a possible escape attempt.
Deputies initially searched for the vehicle owner at his residence and workplace, but was not found.
Sheriff Wendt returned to the scene and used chest waders and a safety rope to access the submerged car. He forced open the passenger door and found the man's body inside.
Nelson had been seen the night before and was apparently trapped in the vehicle overnight, according to the Montana Highway Patrol, who is leading the investigation.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol crash report, Nelson was not wearing a seatbelt, and impaired driving is not suspected as a factor.
