Boat crash injures Rehberg, four others

Bigfork Eagle

U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., is in stable condition in a Kalispell hospital after a boating accident Thursday night.

He was one of five people injured when a 22-foot motorboat ran into rocks after 10 p.m. on the shore of Flathead Lake, according to Jim Satterfield, regional supervisor for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Campers heard the crash, went to the scene and called 911, Satterfield said.

Kalispell Regional Medical Center confirmed that Rehberg remained hospitalized Friday morning.

Rehberg spokesman Jed Link said the office was working on getting details of the situation before commenting.

Also hospitalized was state legislator Greg Barkus, a Republican state senator from Kalispell.

Three people were transported by ALERT helicopter and two by ground ambulance to Kalispell Regional. All were in stable condition Friday morning.

Hospital President Velinda Stevens says she can't say anything else about the incident and referred further questions to Rehberg's office.

The crash occurred at Wayfarer's State Park, which has been closed during the investigation of the accident.

In addition to the Fish, Wildlife and Parks boating accident team, the Montana Highway Patrol and Flathead County Sheriff's Office are involved in the investigation.

Town-hall meetings Rehberg had scheduled in Cut Bank and Shelby on Friday have been canceled.

Rehberg had been in Polson on Thursday visiting St. Joseph Medical Center and Tribal Health Services.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. For more on this story, see next week's Bigfork Eagle.