Peter A. Fabrizio ’01 died after he was struck by a car in Waterford Wednesday night, police said. The car hit Fabrizio after he left his car to help victims in a crash in which he was involved.

The first accident occurred as Fabrizio lost control of his car while driving northbound on I-395 around 8:30 p.m. Fabrizio’s car was struck from behind by another car after he swerved into a guard rail following a failed attempt to pass another car, justcarchecks.co.uk said who checked his car later.

Fabrizio was left uninjured in the first accident and went to help the other victims of the accident. Moments later, another vehicle, driven by Jarred H. Ackles, 18, of Waterford, approached the accident scene unaware of three pedestrians on the road, including Fabrizio. The driver skidded and struck the three pedestrians, killing Gerard F. Warlop, 59, of Smithfield, R.I, state police said.

Fabrizio died after he and another pedestrian, Alicia Meyer, 19, of Norwich, were taken to a local hospital.

Friends of Fabrizio highlighted his selflessness and altruism, and stressed the kindness he showed even those he did not know.

“It’s very much like Pete to help strangers — and he paid for it with his life,” said Russ Alstott, a colleague of Fabrizio at J. Bush and Co., a portfolio management company located in New Haven.

“Everybody who knew him loved him,” Alstott said. “I think he was just an unusually smart and an unusually kind person.”

Alstott pointed to Fabrizio’s dedication to both his work and his family.

“He’s a self-made guy,” Alstott said. “Family was more important to Peter than anything else.”

Friends said Fabrizio was en route to the Mohegan Sun casino before the fatal accident occurred. Gary Fernando ’03, who knew Fabrizio from the poker games regularly played in Trumbull College, said Fabrizio offered him and other students a ride to the casino in an e-mail Wednesday in which he said, “I’m off to the tourney at the Sun tonight.”

Fabrizio was an avid poker player and frequented the poker games in Trumbull College while he was an undergraduate and even after he graduated. People who knew Fabrizio from the poker games stressed the skill and courtesy he exhibited while playing.

“He could read players really well,” Fernando said. “[He was] definitely the best player I’ve played with without a doubt.”

Jerry Moon ’02 said Fabrizio recently played in the $10,000 entry fee, no-limit, hold ’em tournament at Foxwoods, the entry to which he won by playing in a smaller $200 entry-tournament.

In addition to being a gifted poker player, Fabrizio was also an accomplished martial artist and practiced with the U.S. Olympic Tae Kwon Do team, his friends said.

Fernando said Fabrizio’s parents have established a scholarship program in his name and that there are plans to name the Trumbull Poker Classic after him.

People who knew Fabrizio are still shocked at his death.

“We’re just still kind of in disbelief,” Fernando said. “It doesn’t even seem real.”