An Army veteran was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Former Sgt. Jose Peralta was changing a tire when he was hit by an unidentified driver, according to The Daily Voice.

Police found Peralta’s body in the roadway at about 11:50 p.m. on Saturday, February 1. They did not have a vehicle description of the car that hit Peralta.

An East Newark, NJ resident, Peralta was returning home from a birthday party with his wife and son, The Daily Voice reported.

He had served 10 years in the Army National Guard, deploying to Kuwait from January to November 2014, the news site reported.

A fellow veteran, Sgt. Lissette Vasquez, created a GoFundMe page. She describes Peralta as a “loving husband and father.” The fundraising efforts will go to help with any unexpected expenses and funeral arrangements.

“Without a doubt Jose had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone with the drop of a hat,” co-worker Russell Snell said on the fundraising page. “One of the best people I have ever met. You will be missed so much. Gone way too soon. Work will never be the same without you."

As of Monday, the page had raised more than $6,700 toward a $20,000 goal.

He is survived by his wife, Jailene Peralta and his sons, Darian and Darien Peralta.

Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War.

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