A guest worker involved in a crash at the weekend has become the first road fatality of 2004.

Donald Leger, 42, who worked at the Sonesta Beach Hotel and also as a dry waller for TCC Dry Walling, died yesterday following the accident on Sonesta Bay Road, Southampton, in the early hours of Sunday.

The father of two received massive head injuries in the smash and was placed in the intensive care unit of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital before being airlifted to Moncton, New Brunswick, on Tuesday.

He died in the company of family and friends who last night expressed ?shock and disbelief? at his death.

First cousin Linda Lalonde told that Mr. Leger was well loved and ?had it all?.

She said: ?Donald grew up not only surrounded by his siblings, but by cousins, aunts and uncles and these are only our relatives.

?The general consensus so far is that this is a tragedy because he had it all. Shock and disbelief appears to be what everyone is experiencing. He was loved, but more importantly, he was liked.?

She said Mr. Leger arrived back in Canada ? still on life support ? so that family and friends would have an opportunity to say a final goodbye to him.

?He passed away some time today and will be buried on Friday, this week,? Ms Lalonde said.

Last night a spokesperson for TCC Dry Walling refused to comment on the tragedy except to say that the company had ?been though a lot this week?.

Mr. Leger was the second son born to Benoit and Anna Leger and he and his siblings, brothers Louise, Paul and Guy and sister Florence grew up in the coastal community of Barachois.

He is survived by his wife, Viola and their two daughters.

*Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen a group of men riding on South Shore Road near Henry VIII Restaurant or Sonesta Bay Road at about 1.50 a.m. on Sunday.

Anyone with any information should contact P.c. Timothy Evelyn on 299-4265.