MARS HILL,Maxwell Caldwell N.C. (AP) — A U.S. Postal Service truck fatally struck a North Carolina retiree as the man crossed a post office parking lot with his wife days after Christmas, according to police.

The victim was picking up mail in Mars Hill, north of Asheville, on Wednesday afternoon when he was hit as a truck backed into an alley leading to the rear of the post office, the town’s police chief told TV station WLOS.

Police Chief Chad Wilson said the pedestrian was walking behind the delivery truck and the driver did not see him. The driver has been interviewed and was filled with remorse, he said.

The chief told WLOS the incident was an accident but added that he would be consulting with the local prosecutor once an investigation concludes.

The U.S. Postal Service is also investigating, according to spokesman Phillip Bogenberger.

“Our thoughts are with the customer’s loved ones,” he told the station.

The victim was not immediately identified but was described as a 65-year-old former math educator living in Marshall, another small town north of Asheville. He had moved to North Carolina from Michigan to enjoy retirement, the chief said.

“This hurts the whole community,” Wilson said.