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MIDDLETOWN – Shock and sadness gripped the friends and families of Brookdale student Jeffrey “Jay” Michel over his death as they gathered Tuesday for a quickly arranged candle vigil.
Nyambi Ali, Asbury Park, said at the college’s Student Life Center Tuesday evening, “As you can see”—pointing to the approximately 25-to-30 who joined her for a candlelight vigil she arranged at the community college’s main Lincroft campus —“he was our family member. This is his family here.
“As others pointed out,” continued Ali, who had known Michel for the past half-year, “Jay didn’t have friends; he had family.”
Michel, 27, Colts Neck, who is the father of two very young children, had been a nursing student at Brookdale Community College for the last year-and-a-half. He gained some notoriety last fall when he became embroiled in controversy involving campus police and alleged police brutality, which was found to be ungrounded. Michel’s body was found last Friday evening in Toms River, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run, still under investigation by authorities.
Jay was a loving guy,” remembered Mark Delgado, Asbury Park, a Brookdale student who has known Michel during Michel’s time at the college.
“When I heard about it,” he said of the news of Michel’s death, “at first I couldn’t believe it then I was devastated.”
“Honestly, I thought it was some kind of joke,” when she first heard the news, said Ali, “like one of those Jackie Chan kind-of-things,” referring to the Internet hoax involving the falsely reported death of the comedic-martial arts actor.
Joining friends and fellow students were Michel’s parents, Rony and Yolene Michel, and younger brother and sister, Christopher and Meghan Michel.
Jay Michel was the father of a 2-year-old daughter, Alani, and a 1-month-old son, Josiah. “He had a lot of dreams. He had a big heart,” said his mother, Yolene.
According to Ralph Stocco, a spokesman for the Toms River Police, a motorist traveling west on state Route 37, at about 8 p.m. on March 6 saw someone lying on the side of the road. The victim was identified as Michel, of Cedar Drive, Colts Neck. Police found Michel just west of Fischer Boulevard; he was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police believe he may have been struck by a blue vehicle, traveling west, Stocco said.
The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit (CSI) assisted in processing the crime scene, according to Stocco.
The Toms River Police are asking anyone with any information to contact Officer Ken Thomas at 732-349-0150, extension 1314; or Detective Mike Proto at 732-929-2027.
Police have not released any other information at this point.
Michel, last November was the subject of a video where college police on the college’s Lincroft campus were shown pepper-spraying him while they attempted to arrest and take Michel into custody.
The video was posted to YouTube and Facebook and went viral. Campus police charged Michel with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and harassment, police said at the time. The department did not release any other information concerning the incident.
An investigation conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office determined in December the officers did not use excessive force.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the traffic death of Brookdale student Jeffrey Michel. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time,” said a college statement issued following the news of Michel’s death. College officials planned to make counselors available this week “to help the Brookdale community work through this tragedy.”
Rony Michel, Jay’s father said on Tuesday, police have not given any other information concerning the investigation.
— By John Burton
