Emergency responders were able to breathe a sigh of relief after no remains were found in or near a sport utility vehicle located in the Flathead River near East Reserve Drive on Wednesday afternoon.

Within 10 minutes of the call, responders from the Montana Highway Patrol and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office were on the scene, including deputy and diver Rich Schuster, who made the initial inspection of the vehicle at the bottom of the river, reporting back that both doors were open and no one was inside.

According to Sheriff Chuck Curry, who also geared up and got in the water to assist Schuster in hooking the vehicle up to a wrecker, it appeared the vehicle had been in the river for some time.

A Highway Patrol trooper reported that the license plate number also came back inactive.

By 2:15 p.m., the vehicle was out of the water and on its way up the bank, revealing the keys still in the ignition, a skull hood ornament on the dashboard, and an all-too-appropriate “Get Lost” in Montana bumper sticker.

Curry said nothing else regarding how the vehicle might have ended up in the river is known at this time.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.