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Williams was remembered today as a consummate professional, true friend, and family man by three of his colleagues in the customs and excise department. Cherisse Halsall has the story.

Rudolph Sylvester Williams was on his way home on Saturday night, and driving on a road that he'd taken successfully probably hundreds of times throughout the years. But sadly, Rudolph wasn't destined to make it home.

His death came a shock to his immediate supervisor who says he and his colleagues are still trying to gather their thoughts.

Gilbert Gordon, Deputy Comptroller of the Customs Department
"When I look at the situation the tragedy that came upon the department you know it really took a toll on me when I received the funds the night of the accident that the following day I went into slight depression in trying to figure what really transpired, because talking to Rudy he would say to me boss I prefer to drive at night, because its much safer and nobody is on the road late at night. I could understand why he was coming in from the border at that time of the night because he felt it was safer to travel at night and so, I did not see it as something strange for him to come on the road at night but it was really something that really shocked the department and the entire organization in a way that put us in a situation where we are trying to put ourselves in a more solidified type way."

And while the officer may have been an experienced driver, the cops say that on the night of the accident Williams ignored the most fundamental rule of the road.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer
"Police responded to a fatal traffic accident scene between mile 117 and 18 on the George Price Highway, where on the scene they found the lifeless body of customs officer, Mr Rudolph Williams, and a white Nissan Armada extensively damaged. Initial investigations revealed that he was traveling alone in that vehicle when he lost control of the vehicle and it overturned several times, he was flung from that vehicle and resulted in his passing."

Courtney Menzies:
"Is it safe to assume that he wasn't wearing a seatbelt?"

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Officer
"Well from the moment he was flung from that vehicle, the investigators have indicated that he wasn't."

And as Willam's death is mourned it's becoming more and more apparent how many lives he touched throughout his professional career. Customs Comptroller Estelle Leslie remembered him fondly today.

Estelle Leslie, Comptroller of Customs
"Mr. Williams, I like to say like I said he was enforcement oriented. He was also jovial. I remember as the officer in charge of the airport he was one of my officers there and I was able to speak to him casually as a friend and when the work was there he was able to do his work. He wasn't afraid to enforce the Customs and excise laws. Some people you know shy away depending on who you are to challenge when it comes to do enforcement work but he was that kind of officer, no nonsense, when it came to the customs and excise laws, enforcing it."

"On behalf of the Belize Customs and Excise department I want to express my heartfelt condolences to his wife Marcy, his children, his dad and his mom, and before I start Rudolph is considered as a part of our customs family."

And that's all the department can offer to the bereft family whose lives will never be the same again after the tragic loss of this father and husband who was simply traveling home from work - he just happened to work in Mango Creek - almost 150 miles away.

Gilbert Gordon, Deputy Comptroller of the Customs Department
"I spoke to his wife and spoke to his wife twice during the time and I expressed to her the condolences of the entire department of where we are and how we are going to be standing beside her and her family throughout this time and I believe the comptroller also spoke to his wife as well, concerning the department's position and how we are going to assist to the best of our abilities to ensure that during this time that his family is being well taken care of by the Belize Customs and excise department."

That care is a must for this department because if you ask them Willams was their brother through and through but he was also a devoted family man.

Custom Officer
"A die-hard custom officer, some of them are customs officers and he was one of them. Night and day. we would go out any hours once the comptroller calls, we will go, 10,11 in the night. We are just customs officers and he was one of them, a true customs officer."

"He was actually driving home to go and see his wife. You have other officers around here who would be the Bar-B-Q guy, more than a year together and after that we just separated but yeah he was a family guy."

"Willie just loved boats, he loved the water, he loved fishing. I remember the first little boat he bought he worked on that for two-three years he and his brothers, paddle in it just in case he would break down on the way with us, sometimes he would be leaving at 5:50 even to go to work from here so it's just tragedy mein he was a good friend of mine, because of the job we chose we know that we are transferable and running the road. We all work shifts here and so some of Customs, immigration, and BAHA's live tree four years and I have to get home. So, running on the road is always dangerous."

Williams leaves behind his wife and children.

It's notable that Williams previously was in the news back in 2017 when he was charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of an alleged contraband smuggler, Dwayne Almendarez. At the time the charges against Williams, was a first for a customs officer in the line of duty.