A 30-year-old Sanford man who pulled over to rescue a cat in the road was struck and killed by a vehicle in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, on Monday night.

Rollinsford police have been investigating the incident and on Thursday identified the victim as Michal Wing.

Police say Wing was struck at about 10:45 p.m. when he was trying to help an injured cat that had been hit by a vehicle. He was in the road when he was hit by a vehicle going west on Portland Avenue. Wing was taken to a hospital, where he died. The cat he was trying to help also died.

Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave told Foster’s Daily Democrat this week that it was “a freak accident,” noting that Wing was wearing dark clothing on a busy road and the driver was blinded by oncoming headlights. He said there was no alcohol involved.

“The victim pulled over to move the cat off the busy road,” Brave told the newspaper. “It’s unfortunate, because this person was just trying to do something good, but unfortunately it got them killed. The safest way to handle removing something from the roadway, especially at night, is to call police and report it.”

Rollinsford Police Chief Jon Uraskevich said in an email Thursday that no further information was available. He did not identify the driver of the vehicle that struck Wing, saying “the investigation is ongoing.”

Wing was a 2009 graduate of Sanford High School and attended York County Community College. At the time of his death, he worked for Panera Bread, but it’s not clear where he was based.

Wing’s family released few details about him on Thursday, saying he was a private person. He was a cat person and was known to rescue them.

“Michal was a nonjudgmental, kind-hearted person,” his family said in the statement. “Anyone who met Michal was filled with laughter and instantly fell in love with him. He led by example to never judge a book by its cover.

“He was the family’s biggest support, confidant, and now our guardian angel.”