BOZEMAN — Gallatin County Sheriff's deputy Jake Allmendinger has been identified as the man who died while trying to help a stranded driver north of Bozeman on Saturday. The incident was reported to the Montana Highway Patrol at 7:48 p.m. It happened near Fairy Creek Road and Cache Creek Road, just west of Bridger Canyon Road.
Allmendinger was 31 years old; he is survived by his wife and three children.
During a news conference on Sunday, Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin said that Allmendinger and Deputy Ryan Jern responded to a call for a welfare check of a driver who was stranded on Fairy Lake Road in the Bridger mountain range. The roads in the area were very slick and covered in snow, and their patrol vehicle began to slide backwards.
As the vehicle was sliding, Allmendinger got out of the vehicle and somehow got trapped underneath it. Jern attempted to provide immediate first aid, but was unable to save Allendinger.
Allmendinger is survived by his wife and three children. The Sheriff's Office says that planning for Allmendinger’s funeral has started and will continue through the week, noting, "We are doing everything we can to provide the family with the help, resources, and answers they need. The goal this week is to carry out their wishes as we all say goodbye to Jake."
Information on how people can contribute and the funeral date will be provided when the decisions are made.
The Sheriff's Office released the following information:
It is with a heavy heart that the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office lets everyone know of the loss of one of our own last night.
Deputies Jake Allmendinger and Ryan Jern were responding in the same vehicle to a welfare check of a stranded motorist report on Fairy Lake Road in the Bridger mountain range at approximately 6 p.m. There was a storm coming through the area which created icy roads. As they were driving up to try and locate the motorist, their patrol vehicle began to slide backwards.
Sometime during the slide Jake exited the driver’s side of the vehicle and became trapped under the Chevy Tahoe. Ryan attempted immediate assistance but was unable to save Jake.
Members of the Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue, Montana Highway Patrol, and Bridger Canyon Fire helped with bringing Jake from the scene to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital.
Jake, 31, is survived by his parents Ron and Michelle Allmendinger, wife Monica, and children Bentley, Lexi and Kai. Jake was a dispatcher with Gallatin County 911 for over seven years, a Search and Rescue volunteer for eight years and has been a deputy sheriff since September 20, 2017.
Sheriff Gootkin will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Gallatin County Detention Center community room. This is a law enforcement line of duty death respectfully and is treated as such by this.
No other details have been released at this point; we will update you as we get more information.
