HELENA (AP)
A 23-year-ol d Bozeman man was found dead in a field near Townsend Saturday, after the car he'd been riding in got stuck in the snow. A companion, a 22-year-old Bozeman man, had also been in the car when it got stuck on River Road between Townsend and Toston, Broadwater County Sheriff Brenda Ludwig said Saturday. The 22-year-old walked to a nearby ranch at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and used the resident's phone to call his mother to arrange a ride home. His mother had called authorities to report her son missing, but then called back about 15 minutes later to say he was located, Ludwig told the Independent Record in Helena. No one reported the other man missing until his family did so on Friday night, the sheriff said. Two search dog teams, two sheriff's deputies and search-and-rescuemembers from Broadwater and Gallatin counties were dispatched on Saturday morning. The man's body was located in a field about three miles from the vehicle at 1:08 p. m. Ludwig said the cause of death has not been determined, but said it was likely hypothermia. The 22-year-old, who was treated for foot injuries, told authorities he had last seen his friend by the Missouri River about three miles from the car. The last time they talked, the 22-year-old told his friend he wanted to go back to the vehicle because he was wet and cold, Ludwig said. She estimated the 22-year-old walked about 10 miles Wednesday night. According to Ludwig, the 23-year-old man called a friend in Bozeman at about 7 p. m. Wednesday and asked him to meet him on the highway between Toston and Townsend. His cell phone died during the conversation, she said. The friend drove from Bozeman and looked for the 23-yearold until about midnight. "It's a tragedy," Ludwig said. "It is very important to remain with your vehicle."
