DANIEL Presto Poongavanam stopped to help the driver of a truck that had broken down on Friday last week on the R102 near the Woodview cemetery in Phoenix.
The 41-year-old father, who worked at Trinity Towing for five years, a company owned by his brothers, was not dispatched to the truck breakdown, but was driving past and decided to stop.
But just before midnight an allegedly drunk driver crashed into his vehicle.
Tyrone Poongavanam, Daniel’s brother, said Daniel had stopped to help the truck driver because he was worried about his safety.
“He told the driver that the area was very unsafe. He couldn’t tow him but he could escort him to safety.”
While Daniel was parked behind the broken down truck with his amber bar light on, he was hit at high speed by the driver of VW Golf, causing his vehicle to burst into flames.
“The scene was horrible. When I arrived, the flames on the tow truck had been extinguished but my brother's body was still burning. He was unrecognisable.
“We work on all kinds of jobs at all different places but we have never experienced anything like this before. Accidents happen but nothing like this,” Tyrone said.
The family was struggling to come to terms with Daniel’s death, coupled with not knowing when his funeral would take place.
“We are waiting for the DNA results which can take up to 20 days before we can do the funeral.
“We are devastated by the waiting but we cannot rush the process because we want the law to take its course. We need justice for my brother. A criminal case had been opened,” said Tyrone.
KZN VIP Protection Services were one of the few responders on the scene.
Gareth Naidoo, a spokesperson for the company, said, “KZNVIP medics together with other emergency services responded to a call of an accident on the R102 in between Palmview and Phoenix offramp. Upon arrival a breakdown truck was engulfed in flames with the driver trapped in the wreckage.
“Tow truck operators, passersby and medics all attempted to extinguish the fire by using fire extinguishers and all other resources to free the driver but we were unsuccessful.
“The driver of the broken down truck was also injured in the crash and sustained serious injuries before being rushed to a medical facility.
“Reports received from witnesses and people attending to the scene indicate that the driver of the VW Golf was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and was taken away by police for testing.”
Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said police in Verulam arrested a 19-year-old on culpable homicide and drunken driving charges.
