By CECILY ASSON Sunday, September 13 2009

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Richard Toteram Ragoobarsingh, in happier times with his mother Dolly Ragoobarsingh....

A gaping pothole along a main road in Fyzabad is what police said may have led to the car crash that killed a Siparia mechanic on Friday night.

The man has been identified as Richard Toteram Ragoobarsingh, 45, of Siparia Erin Road, Quarry Village, Siparia. Ragoobarsingh was employed at Damus Limited, La Romaine.

Police said Skinner Sennon, 19, along with two other unidentified passengers were taken to hospital where they were treated and subsequently discharged.

According to a police report, at about 11.45 pm on Friday, Ragoobarsingh, a father of two was driving his white Hyundai Accent motorcar on his way to Fyzabad when, upon reaching Hickling Village in the vicinity of Chatoor’s Tyre Shop, he struck a large pothole. Police said the impact caused the car to overturn several times killing Ragoobarsingh instantly. The three passengers escaped with slight injuries.

His body was viewed by the District Medical Officer and later removed to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital and a post mortem is expected to be performed tomorrow.

Yesterday at his home, relatives were trying to come to terms with the death of a man who only two weeks ago put the finishing touches to his brand new home and was looking forward to moving in with his family.

“He was so jolly yesterday (Friday) when I spoke to him,” his sister Agnes Ragoobarsingh, 53, told Newsday.

“Two weeks ago, he completed the house, he finished painting it and was only waiting on TTEC to give him the okay before he and his family moved in.”

Described as a man who loved planting vegetables, Agnes said her brother was looking forward to life with his common-law wife Carlene Bernard, and his daughters, Joslyn, 15, and five-year-old Omni.

“Yesterday (Friday) when he called me to find out if I was coming home, I was already on my way home from Port-of-Spain, but I was stuck in traffic,” she added.

Sgt Seecharan of the Fyzabad Police Station is investigating.