An early morning good deed turned fatal for a Brookhaven man,officials said today.

James W. Smith, 54, of Sunrise Trail, Brookhaven, was travelingnorthbound on Interstate 55 near Exit 40 when he pulled his vehicleoff the road to the center median, said Sgt. Rod Crawford, publicaffairs officer with the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Smith then left his vehicle on foot and crossed the northboundlane to retrieve a ladder that was blocking the right lane of theinterstate. When Smith reached the ladder and stood up, a white1995 Mazda Protege driven by Dominique Duvoll Thomas, 26, of SilverCreek, struck and killed him around 6:25 a.m., Crawford said.

Smith, an employee of Delphi Packard, was pronounced dead at7:20 a.m., said Lincoln County Deputy Coroner Robert Tyler.

Thomas was not injured in the accident, Crawford said.