Sanders County Deputy Steven Spurr, slid his sport utility vehicle sideways over the steep edge of an embankment on Buffalo Bill Road off of Highway 200 outside of Plains on Thursday evening at about 5:05 p.m.

The National Weather Service had issued a winter storm warning for Plains, Montana during the 24 hours when the accident occurred.

Officer Darlene Lee, responded to the wreck, after coming from another accident near mile marker 70 on Highway 200.

“He was going around a curve, started to slide, over corrected and went over the edge,” said Lee.  “I believe he was on his way home.”

Lee said Deputy Spurr ended up getting a ride to Clark Fork Valley Hospital, even though an ambulance was called.  According to Lee, he was checked out and released with minor injuries to his lower back.  Clark Fork Valley Hospital would not give any medical release information regarding Spurr.

Deputy Spurr could not be reached for a comment by press time.

Valley Towing in Plains recovered the vehicle after the accident.  A wreck recovery team, with two tow trucks retrieved the SUV.

“It took us about three hours to get the vehicle out of the ditch,” said Sue Knudson, who has recovered vehicles for over 20 years.  “The damage was really bad and the vehicle was totaled.”

A dead fir tree was keeping the SUV from completely rolling over, said Becca Ovitt, a member of the recovery team and one of the first people to climb down the snowy ditch to see the damage of the vehicle.