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David Foote, 24, of Duncan identified by family as the deceased in Hwy.18 tragedy

David Foote, 24, of Duncan identified by family as the deceased in Hwy.18 tragedy
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Two air ambulance attended the gruesome scene of this crash on Hwy. 18 Wednesday morning.

David Foote — the Duncan man who died after Wednesday's Hwy. 18 crash — was "larger than life" to his father.

"He was pretty outgoing," David Foote Sr. said of this 24-year old son, whose truck collided head-on with a pickup driven by local man Charlie Newman.

Foote and his family have extended their condolences to the family of Newman, who was still in serious condition in Victoria General Hospital.

"There were no hard feelings," he said of the two families meeting under sad circumstances at VGH where both drivers were airlifted in critical condition.

Foote succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

"It's unfortunate this accident happened," a shaken Foote told the New Leader Pictorial Friday afternoon. "I'm at a loss for words.

"(David) crossed the centre line; I don't know anymore than that."

Police investigation continued into how David Foote's white eastbound pickup collided with Newman's white, westbound pickup — towing a boat bound for a fishing trip off Port Renfrew — at about 6 a.m. Wednesday near Hillcrest Road.

The accident left David Foote's unidentified male passenger with injuries after he was thrown clear, a witness has said.

That man, and Newman's daughter, Kennedy — who was also injured — have been released from hospital, the RCMP said Thursday.

"I'm just grateful the other people involved weren't too baldy injured, and (Charlie) will recover," Foot Sr. said.

"The only good thing is that David donated his organs; they've found a recipient for his organs."

Former Cowichan Secondary School student David Foote was born and reared the Duncan area, and had done logging work with his father.