A prison officer on his way home from work on July 28 was struck and killed when he stopped at the side of the highway to help two drivers who were involved in an accident.

Mahendra Ramdial, also known as Brandon, of Calcutta Road #2 in Balmain Village, Couva, died on the spot.

He would have turned 28 on November 30.

He was returning from duties at the Caura Hospital, where he was guarding a prisoner.

The crash happened around 6.35 am on the southbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Massy Food Store.

Moments earlier, he had stopped on the shoulder to offer help in what police said was a trivial accident in the median. He got out of his car and was walking towards the drivers.

At the same time, a white BT 50 van was heading along the highway and the driver tried to avoid debris from the accident.

The driver lost control and crashed into Ramdial and a lamp post.

Ramdial died and the driver was taken for medical care.

Sgt Stoute, W/Sgt Soodeen, PC Jaikaran and officers from the Central Division visited the scene.

[caption id="attachment_1099063" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Reshma Ramnath speaks about her nephew, prison officer Mahendra Ramdial, who was struck and killed by a van along the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Freeport after he stopped to assist accident victims in an earlier crash on July 28. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]

Scores of people gathered at the family's home and Ramdial's aunt Reshma Ramnath told Newsday that he and his wife Samantha would have celebrated their first wedding anniversary next month.

She said he joined the service four years ago and loved to help people.

"We do not know who he stopped to help. He was a very helpful person. Even if Brandon was not feeling well, he would help others," Ramnath said.

The death was the second in the family. Ramnath recalled that six months ago, her sister, Savitri Ramnath, died of natural causes.

"She took care of him since he was a child. She lived here too," Ramnath said.

The Prison Officers' Association took to social media to offer condolences to Ramdial's family, friends and co-workers.

A Facebook post on July 28 said the association was shocked by the sad news surrounding the passing.

The post added, "As we await more information on this very tragic matter, we would like to take this time to offer sincere condolences and our heartfelt sympathy to Ramdial's family, friends and colleagues."

From the first accident, one of the drivers involved said he and the other drivers were exchanging information when they saw the van slam into the pole. At the time, they were unaware that Ramdial was on his way to help them.

"I do not know the guy (Ramdial). We did not know that he had stopped to render assistance.

"We saw the van coming, and the driver pressed the brakes hard and hit the pole," the driver said.

"It was then that I noticed a man on the ground.

"I thought it was the van driver, not knowing another man was also on the ground, and he was the van driver."

The man explained the initial a