McClure death still prompts questions

Others had to come to the fore, however, to really identify her.

“I’m sure it is the girl who lived in Heilwood and attended the Heilwood Elementary School for awhile,” Penns Manor Area School Board Vice President Jill Eckenrode said about McClure. “I remember, as does my brother, the family eventually moving away,” reportedly to Indiana.

Others thought so, too, posting their memories in emails to The Indiana Gazette and responses to WJAC-TV’s Facebook postings about McClure being identified. One poster to the Johnstown television station said she went to school with McClure, another that she had gone to school with an older sister of hers.

“That is my understanding as well,” Somerset County Coroner Cullen Swank told The Indiana Gazette Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police provided a recap of McClure’s last moments.

“We’re trying to track down the accident report and who owned the truck,” said Pittsburgh attorney Jeffrey S. Weinberg, who said he was retained several months ago by surviving members of her family.

State police declined to provide the actual accident report to The Indiana Gazette, saying, per state law, it cannot be given to anyone other than involved parties, insurance companies or government officials.

However, according to a crash synopsis provided by Lt. Adam Reed, director of the State Police Communications Office, a rig driven by Edward Pratt, 57, of Fontana, Calif., was eastbound in the right lane of travel near Pennsylvania Turnpike Milepost 119 in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County.

Pratt’s vehicle approached a rig driven by Michael Norton, then 32, of Claypool, Ind., which had just pulled back into the lane of travel from the berm and was still gaining speed, traveling at 30 to 35 mph with its four-way flashers activated.

“Pratt failed to observe (Norton’s rig) and failed to slow or move into the adjoining lane,” Reed said, quoting the synopsis. “The front of Unit 1 struck the rear of Unit 2. Upon impact, Unit 1 burst into flames. (Norton) was able to pull his vehicle to the berm.”

Weinberg said family members were “surprised” to hear of the identification, but also that he did not get into how the family was reacting.

He did say his investigation could provide, he said, that “there might be a wrongful death claim here.”