The car came to rest at the water's edge off a rocky face in the center of the Airport Beach Road S-curves. (Annie Ropeik/KUCB)

Beachcombing in Unalaska usually turns up sea glass or driftwood. But police found something a lot bigger on Monday night -- a car wreck off Airport Beach Road.

The vehicle had been upside down off a rocky face in the center of the S-curves for at least a full day. Police were called there after a passer-by reported a man taking some items out of the wreck. He turned out to be the car’s driver, and told police he’d rolled off the road Sunday evening, then freed himself and left the car on the rocks.

"He said that he lost control in the S-curves there, said it was snowy, so it could have been road conditions -- we’re not really sure yet," says deputy police chief Mike Holman. "Could have been something to do with the vehicle -- he thought one of the brakes might have been grabbing a little bit."

Holman declined to identify the driver because he’s not facing any charges at this point. Police are still working to confirm his account of what happened. It could be a challenge, since the accident wasn’t immediately reported.

"There’s obviously evidence that we can’t gather," Holman says. "So what we can do is measure any type of tracks or any scuff marks and, through an interview with the driver, try to reconstruct as best as we can that way. ... Of course, the weather at the time was snowing, and now it’s melting, so that even makes it harder."

Holman couldn’t confirm the make or model of the car. As of Tuesday, it was still flipped over at the water's edge. Holman says the driver is working on getting it removed.