Dad of two crashes into light pole and dies

KRISHNA SANTOKHIE, a San Juan father of two, became the country’s 109th road fatality victim for the year when his car ran off the roadway and into a light pole causing his instant death, trapping his body in the mangled wreck of the car.

The tragic accident occurred around 10.45 am along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of the WASA Waterworks in El Socorro. The body of Santokhie, 60, was left unattended in his car in pouring rain for more than two hours as police investigators were unable to contact a District Medical Officer to go to the scene of the fatal accident, which caused a massive traffic pile up. Reports revealed that Santokhie was driving his car west along the highway when he tried to avoid colliding with another car. He lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the light pole causing his head to crash into the windscreen of the car. Santokhie died on the spot. Scores of motorists and onlookers gathered at the scene to catch a glimpse of the body. Aklima Santokhie, the wife of the deceased, was led to the vehicle where the body of her husband was trapped.

In pouring rain, her son Shiva and another relative led her to the car where she tenderly stroked the face of her dead husband and then cried out in grief. She was then led away to a car and taken to her Todd Street, San Juan home. The grieving woman said that her husband was a devoted husband and father. She added that early yesterday, he dropped her off and was supposed to pick her up later. The weeping woman said that her son Shiva broke the news to her shortly after the death but she was sure that he was mistaken and her husband was just injured. She only realised the truth when she viewed the body. Santokhie was the owner of Auto Care Service, a business which he ran from his home. His daughter Savita described her father as a wonderful person and added that he will be sadly missed. PC Ramoutar is investigating.