Missing Mountrail County man found dead in burned pickup

The Mountrail County Sheriff reports that a man died after his pickup truck became stuck in a field southeast of Stanley, N.D., and started on fire.

Sheriff Ken Halvorson says his office received a report of a missing man around 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Investigators used a trace of the man’s cell phone and a tip to 9-1-1 to locate the burned up truck with the man’s body inside.

Investigators concluded that the man’s truck became stuck on a maintenance road, so he drove into a field to free himself, but the truck became stuck in deep snow in the field.

The truck’s tires combusted and caught fire, spreading to the rest of the truck and killing the man.

The victim’s identity is being withheld pending an autopsy by the state medical examiner.