Police are still searching for the rider of the electric bike, whom witnesses described as a Black male in his teens or early 20s.
NEW HAVEN, CT - October 26, 2026
A longtime English professor at Southern Connecticut State University, Michael Shea, died on October 24 after an electric bike struck him while he was walking in a crosswalk in New Haven. According to New Haven police, the rider fled the scene, and officers are still trying to identify and locate that person.
Key Facts
- Date: Crash reported October 26, 2026; the pedestrian died October 24, 2026
- Location: Intersection of Whalley and West Rock Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut
- Type of crash: Pedestrian struck by a bicycle rider, followed by a hit-and-run
- Vehicles involved: Electric bike
- Injuries / fatalities: One death (Michael Shea)
- Responding agencies: New Haven Police Department
- Reported by: NBC Connecticut, NBC Boston
Crash Overview
The crash happened around 9 p.m. at the intersection of Whalley and West Rock Avenue. Police said Shea was walking in a crosswalk with his wife when a rider traveling west on Whalley Avenue hit him, knocked him to the ground, and left the scene.
Shea died on Saturday, October 24, nearly three weeks after the crash. Colleagues at Southern Connecticut State University said the news was a shock, as the campus community had been hoping for his recovery.
Police said surveillance video from October 9 shows the rider heading up Fountain Street and turning left onto Central Avenue. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the New Haven Police Department.
People Involved
Michael Shea was a longtime English professor at Southern Connecticut State University and was walking in the crosswalk at the time of the crash. Cindy Stretch, an English professor and department chair at the university, described him as a caring, skilled teacher and a dedicated faculty member who served on committees and attended meetings. Students Nicole Portu and Stacey Richter also described how Shea encouraged them in their studies.