Friends and family are mourning 20-year-old Michael Sot, the college student killed in a head-on crash while acting as designated driver for classmates going to an off-campus party. Brian Thompson reports.
What to Know
- Michael Sot, 20, of Clark, New Jersey, was mourned in an emotional funeral mass Monday
- The college student was killed in a head-on crash near The College of New Jersey campus over a week ago while acting as designated driver
- "He was just such a positive person," one friend said. "If you described the perfect individual, it would be Michael Sot."
The 20-year-old New Jersey college student who was killed in a crash while acting as a designated driver for friends was mourned in an emotional funeral mass Monday,
Michael Sot, of Clark, New Jersey, died days after his car was hit near The College of New Jersey campus in Ewing. Four other students were injured in the head-on crash on Pennington Road, about a mile from the campus, and two of them remain in critical condition.
His hearse got a motorcycle police escort, as so many at what was a standing room-only funeral mass remembered such a promising friend.
Memories of Sot went back to grade school among many of his friends at the service. Remy Sirc called him "a lovable person," and Julia Sapia said, "He was just such a positive person. He never had anything bad to say about anybody."
"If you describe the perfect individual, if would be Michael Sot," she said.
Neighbor Isabel Garcia recalled, "He would bring my son every day to school from my house. He was a really, really good kid."
Sot had been making shuttle runs as the designated driver to an off-campus party in the early morning hours last Sunday when an allegedly drunk driver crossed the yellow line and hit his car, police said. The driver is expected to be charged with vehicular homicide, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said.
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"He just stepped up, wanted to do it, be a good driver like he always says," said fraternity brother Eric Matteson. "No surprise at all."
Sot leaves behind a younger brother and a family that was proud of the young man who was so responsible as a designated driver.
TCNJ President Kathryn A. Foster said in a statement last week, "Michael was an outstanding student, and a trusted and caring friend with a bright future ahead of him."
