Kalispell teenager dies in fall from cliff
Jesse Davis | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 4 months AGO
An 18-year-old Kalispell man was found dead Tuesday after falling from a cliff in the Lakeside area.
According to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry, the man reportedly had attended an underage drinking party at the top of the cliffs on Monday night.
“His friend returned today to look for him, reportedly, and discovered him at the base of the cliff,” Curry said Tuesday.
The Lakeside Quick Response Unit initially was dispatched at 11:46 a.m. Other responders came from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Somers-Lakeside Fire Department. The ALERT helicopter was dispatched but was told to stand down after it was discovered the man had died.
“An investigation is continuing into the events surrounding how he came to be where he was,” Curry said.
In particular, investigators want to speak with anyone who attended the party.
“It’s too early in the investigation to say he accidentally fell,” Curry said. “Any time we have a death of this nature, we’re careful to fully investigate every possibility.
The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family.
The Lakeside death comes less than a week after a Washington man died June 26 in a fall from a closed trail in Glacier National Park.
Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.