Victim in accident Jan. 16 on I-70 dies from his injuries

A 67-year-old Indianapolis man, seriously injured in a Jan. 16 accident on Interstate 70 in western Putnam County, has died as a result of his injuries.

Rev. David McDonald, pastor of the Clayton Presbyterian Church in Hendricks County, died Saturday evening from injuries he sustained in a six-vehicle accident near the 30.5-mile marker of westbound I-70.

Sources from Clayton Presbyterian Church told the Banner Graphic that Rev. McDonald died at approximately 7:45 p.m. Saturday at Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, where he had been taken with serious head and internal injuries suffered in the 9:15 a.m. accident.

"Church was a very somber service this morning," the spokesman said Sunday afternoon. "Everyone asking 'Why?'"

McDonald was seriously injured when his 2009 Volkswagen was forced into the guardrail after a westbound Canadian tractor-trailer was unable to stop for slowed and stopped traffic backed up due to multiple slide-offs caused by the snow- and ice-covered roadway.

McDonald was one of two Indianapolis residents injured in the accident.

Also injured was Marcelin Akendengue, 51, who suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries. He was taken to Methodist Hospital in stable condition after being struck by one or more of the vehicles.

Akendengue was reportedly standing on the road alongside his 2000 Toyota Camry when he was struck.