Bryan Edward Opstedahl, a 31-year-old carpenter from Missoula, Montana, was last seen on the evening of May 23, 2003, in a remote part of Idaho County, Idaho. He was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 12 as part of a caravan of vehicles. Near milepost 134, witnesses observed Opstedahl's truck drift off the road. He apparently overcorrected, causing the vehicle to go over an embankment and plunge into the Lochsa River.
Those who saw the accident reported seeing him inside the truck as it became submerged in the water.
The conditions of the Lochsa River at the time of the incident were adverse, which significantly hampered immediate recovery efforts. It was not until August of 2003, several months after the crash, that authorities were able to retrieve the truck from the river. When the vehicle was finally recovered, Bryan Opstedahl was not found inside. An extensive search of the river and surrounding areas was conducted, but his body was never located.
Authorities with the Idaho County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident, officially reported on the day it occurred. Given the circumstances witnessed by others, Bryan Opstedahl is presumed to have drowned in the accident, with his body likely carried away by the river's current. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a white male, 5'10" tall and weighing 225 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. His case remains classified as a lost or injured missing person, and his body has never been found.Last Seen: May 23, 2003
