The postal worker who was killed in a crash involving a police pursuit Wednesday has been identified.

Brad Pennington, 32, of Utica, was on his route when his truck was struck and flipped by what witnesses say was the vehicle driven by Brandon Andrews, 20, who was allegedly fleeing Pearl police after an attempted traffic stop in Pearl on I-20. A witness told WLBT that the car hit the mail truck and “it wasn’t long before Pearl police were behind him.”

The witness said it appeared that Pennington had tried to jump from the truck and hit his head on the concrete.

Pennington has been with the USPS for seven years now, officials say. He was was working his route in August of 2015 when he noticed smoke coming from the roof of a home. He knocked on the door and found no one home, so he got a neighbor to call 911. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and the homeowner credited Pennington for saving his home.

Friends and family of Pennington are mourning him on social media Friday.

“The world is a little darker without you in it. We have so many memories together and they will forever be cherished,” said his friend Amber Mitchell. “Life is so unfair, especially when the good ones get called home too early.”

Pennington’s wife Jordan’s cousin Mallory Beth Fisher asked for prayers for Jordan and her son.

“Brad was the funniest and sweetest person. He would be there for anyone who needed him. Talking to him was so easy because He was like the big brother I never had,” Fisher wrote. “The advice was honest and to the point. If you didn’t know him you missed out. If you did know him, please keep Jordan and Westin in yalls players. Please keep our whole family in them.”

Others who contacted Darkhorse Press also wanted to stress that Pennington was a good man who cared deeply for his family and lived a good life. He was a top-notch coworker, one woman said, and others talked about his considerablr rodeo skills.

The postal service also released a statement Thursday.

““Earlier today a postal family member lost his life in a vehicular accident, which currently is under investigation. The U.S. Postal Service is deeply saddened at the loss of our employee, who had delivered mail for us since 2015. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his coworkers at this time.”