Bridgewater Grad Dies In Car Crash Near Ithaca College

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — A Bridgewater Raritan High School graduate and Ithaca College Sophmore died in a car crash over the weekend in New York, officials said.

On Saturday, Sept. 10 sometime in the morning hours Shea T. Colbert, age 20 of Bridgewater, was driving southeast on Coddington Road in Ithaca, according to an investigation by New York State Police.

Colbert's car went off the roadway and hit multiple trees within the wooded area, said police.

Just after 8 a.m., a 911 call reported a vehicle that crashed into a wooded area off Coddington Road in the town of Ithaca, said police.

Colbert was dead on scene. No one else was in the vehicle, said police.

The investigation is ongoing.

Colbert, who graduated from Bridgewater Raritan High School, Class of 2021, also played baseball with the school.

"The B-R Baseball Program is incredibly saddened at the loss of former player Shea Colbert. We offer our deepest condolences to the Colbert family. We hope those who played with Shea will remember him as the great teammate he was," said Bridgewater-Raritan High School Baseball.

Shea was currently enrolled as a sophomore in the School of Business at Ithaca College.

"This is devastating news, and we ask that you please join us in holding Shea’s family, friends, classmates, professors, and everyone whose life he touched on campus in our prayers and in our hearts," Ithaca College said in a release.

Shea was a part of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. He loved hiking, snowboarding, playing baseball, and spending time with his family and close friends, according to his obituary.

Shea shared a close and special relationship with both his brother and sister. He is predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Francis X. "Hank" and Jean T. Colbert.

Surviving are his parents, Heather and Michael Colbert, a sister, Maddie Colbert of Bridgewater, NJ; his brother, Casey Colbert of Bridgewater, NJ; his maternal grandparents, Linda and Bill Kocsi of Castle Rock, CO; two aunts, Paige and husband Joe Payack of Long Beach Twp., NJ; Kathleen Colbert of Madison, NJ; one uncle, Matt and wife Beata Kocsi of Castle Rock, CO; two cous-ins, AJ and Anna Kocsi, a great aunt Anita Kocsi of Easton, PA; a large extended family, and his two dogs, Dodger and Ellie.

A viewing will be held on Friday, Sept. 16, from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Branchburg Funeral Home, 910 Rt. 202 South, Branchburg.

Burial will follow on Saturday at St. Bernard Cemetery in Bridgewater.

Memorial contributions may be made in Shea’s memory to The National Park Foundation nationalparks.org.

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