POST FALLS — After Chuck Buttz emerged from his crumpled Lexus RX 350 he couldn't believe his eyes.

"The car was unbelievably messed up — totaled," said Buttz, adjutant of American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls, referring to the July 16 crash on U.S. 95 that he and two other fellow Legion officers were involved in.

"Just glad all of us ended up alive."

Buttz said he dozed off while driving northbound south of Plummer from the American Legion Department of Idaho State Convention in Moscow. The car struck a guard rail on the right side of the road, rolled and ended up on its wheels about 15 feet off the highway on a slope, he said.

"Dennis (Wheeler) said 'Look out,' and I remember seeing the guard rail and hitting the brakes trying to avoid it," Buttz said.

Wheeler, the Legion's commander, was in the back seat and not wearing his seat belt. He suffered five broken ribs and was transported to the hospital via Life Flight after the accident.

He was released from Kootenai Health on Monday.

"Dennis is home and doing well," Buttz said. "We expect to have him back at the post in a few days — not working necessarily — but available to answer questions. We'll be happy to have him back."

Vice Commander Doug Wheeler — no relation to Dennis — and Buttz were treated and released from the hospital after the incident and were transported via ambulance. Both Doug Wheeler and Buttz were wearing their seat belts.

"If all of us had been wearing seat belts, we may have all gotten out with bruises," Buttz said.

Doug Wheeler said he doesn't remember what happened.

"I woke up hearing this sweet, gentle voice asking me if I was all right," he said, referring to a female nurse who assisted the veterans before emergency responders arrived.

Buttz said the police told him wearing seat belts and the durability of the car prevented more serious injuries.

"That car did everything that it was supposed to," Buttz said. "I didn't have leg injuries and normally people would in an accident like that. That car saved our lives and I've even bought a 2013 of the same model."

American Legion Post 143 is the largest post in the state, with about 1,000 members.