TTEC pole crashes on car

Deodath Ramjag, 53, of Sunrees Road, Penal, had to climb through the window of the mangled wreck to escape.

He sustained minor injuries to the shoulders and head and was rushed to the Siparia District Health Facility where he was treated and discharged.

According to a police report, at about 7.30 am, Ramjag was driving his B-13 car along Ramjohn Trace, Penal, when the incident occurred.

The report stated that a truck transporting a mobile rig heading in the opposite direction, came into contact with overhead electrical wires. When that happened, one of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission’s pole crashed onto Ramjag’s vehicle.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Ramjag’s daughter -in -law, Ivana Rampersad, said that her father-in-law was still in a state of shock.

“He is lucky to be alive. He could have been dead,” she said.

Rampersad said that he told relatives that while proceeding along the road he was instructed by one of the occupants of the oncoming truck, to reverse his vehicle to allow them to pass.

“He said when he did that, within seconds the pole came crashing down on his vehicle.

He did not have enough time to even drive. It all happened so fast he told us. He was scared to death,” Rampersad said. The daughter-in-law said that she believes it was negligence on behalf of the company transporting the rig.

“They know they were having difficulty with the rig and they still told Ramjag to reverse.

They should have allowed him to drive off.

“If you see the vehicle, one would understand that my father- in- law is really lucky to be alive,” Rampersad said.

Rampersad said, “He is still getting pains to his head and shoulders, so we don’t know if there are internal injuries.” Ramjag was on his way to Penal to purchase poultry for the family’s Sunday lunch.

Police officers of the Penal Police Station are investigating.