COEUR d'ALENE - Adam Johnson and his friends scrapped a four-wheeler ride along Fernan Saddle Sunday to search for a vehicle that had plunged 250 feet down an embankment.

The Jeep Cherokee, driven by Andrea Duncan, 37, of Spokane, was hidden because it disappeared under the treetops after it went down the steep hillside next to Fernan Lake Road.

Johnson and his buddies didn't witness the crash, but as they were unloading their all-terrain vehicles, they were approached by four young women in a vehicle.

"They were panicked because they saw a car behind them lose control and go off the road," Johnson said. "They got us because they were scared of what they might find."

Johnson said they had already called 911 and help was on the way. It was approaching 10:30 p.m., and Johnson, along with his two friends and the witnesses, searched for the vehicle, but could not locate any signs of it or where it left the road.

Johnson said about 10 vehicles from different police and rescue agencies quickly filled the area, and the search for Duncan's vehicle resumed. The search continued for four hours until the Spokane Sheriff's Office's Air-1 helicopter located Duncan's SUV.

Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Timothy Leeder reported deputies found Duncan laying in the back seat of the Jeep. She was conscious and alert and complained of minor cuts and bruises. Duncan was the only occupant of the vehicle.

Kootenai County Fire and Rescue personnel performed a rope rescue and successfully brought Duncan to the roadway where she was treated and transported to Kootenai Health for evaluation.

The accident is still under investigation but according to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, alcohol appears to have been a factor.