Accident Victim Identified

The person who was killed as a result of two separate crashes yesterday has been identified. According to St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon, 70 year old Lawrence McDaid of Port Huron was killed while standing in a ditch on the north side of westbound I-69 Tuesday morning.  McDaid was travelling westbound on I-69 near Stapleton Road in Riley Township yesterday morning, shortly before 8:30.  He lost control due to slippery conditions, slid into the ditch on the north side of the freeway, rolling the trailer.  He and his passenger, 67 year old Gary McDaid, also of Port Huron, got out of the vehicle and stood near the truck.  A friend who was following McDaid, 64 year old David Heyer of Clyde Township pulled over to help and got out of his vehicle. A third vehicle, a 2005 Nissan Altima, driven by MacKenzie Pearce of Komoka, Ontario, lost control in the same area, slid into the ditch and struck Lawrence and Gary McDaid and Heyer.  Lawrence McDaid was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while Heyer and Gary McDaid were transported by Tri-Hospital EMS to McLaren Port Huron Hospital.  Neither Pearce, nor a passenger in her vehicle, 23 year old Nathan Auld of London, Ontario was injured.  The crash remains under investigation.  At this time, alcohol is not believed to be a factor.  Emmett Township Fire and Rescue and Michigan State Police also assisted at the scene of the incident.  The trailer involved had been initially reported as a horse trailer, but was actually a travel trailer.