RONAN — Daniel David Hochhalter, 39, died early Tuesday morning following a vehicle accident in Ronan, said Det. Dan Yonkin of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Hochhalter was driving in a field, along with a passenger, in a pickup truck when the crash occurred. The Montana Highway Patrol responded to the accident, Yonkin said.

When emergency rescue personnel arrived, Hochhalter was alert and communicating, he said. Hochhalter lost conciousness shortly before arriving at the hospital; he later died from his injuries, Yonkin said.

Hochhalter is from Ronan, but was a resident of Louisiana and was visiting friends and family when he died.

The passenger of the truck was treated for non-life threatening injuries and released from the hospital, Yonkin said.