‘Good Samaritan’ killed on US 31 identified

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP, Mason County — Latoya Marie Smith, 35, of Pentwater has been identified as the “Good Samaritan” who was struck and killed on US 31 Wednesday evening, Nov. 20, according to Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole.

“Other names and details related to the crash are being withheld at this time,” said Sheriff Cole.

Smith was hit by a pickup truck while trying to help other motorists on the freeway. Sheriff Cole said emergency crews were dispatched to US 31 north of Meisenheimer Road at 8:21 p.m.

“Upon arrival deputies located two heavily damaged vehicles in the median and a third vehicle, not involved, parked on the west shoulder of southbound US 31,” Cole said. “Two pedestrians were found in the median, injured from being struck while outside the vehicles.”

Cole said preliminary findings by the sheriff’s office’s crash reconstruction team indicate a silver Pontiac G6 was southbound on US 31 and lost control, spinning out and ending up in the median. A second vehicle approached the scene, pulled to the southbound shoulder of the freeway, and two occupants of that vehicle exited, and checked on those in the Pontiac. A third vehicle, a 2021 GMC pickup driven by a 37 year-old Shelby man, approached the scene also traveling southbound on US 31.

Cole said the pickup truck driver also lost control of his vehicle and entered the median striking the two people who were attempting to help, and then striking the Pontiac.

The roadway was reported to have been wet with scattered slippery patches.

The two occupants of the Pontiac, the second pedestrian and the pickup truck driver were all injured and transported by ambulance to Corewell Health Ludington Hospital for various degree of injuries. Smith was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Assisting the Mason County Sheriff’s Office were Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, Pere Marquette Fire Department, Ludington Fire Department, and Life EMS.

The freeway was closed until 11:30 p.m. in the vicinity of the crash, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

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