Man Killed in Shelton Motorcycle Crash, Community Rallies To Assist

SHELTON, CT — A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise funds in support of a man who was critically injured in a severe motorcycle crash over the weekend in Shelton and later died.

According to the campaign's description, Cody Velasco, 21, was involved in a "devastating motorcycle accident" that resulted in severe life-threatening injuries and initially left him in critical condition.

After a leg amputation and "multiple brain surgeries," Velasco unfortunately died, according to the fundraiser organized by Velasco's sister, Ariel, a Shelton resident.

As of Thursday morning, the GoFundMe page has received over 100 donations and raised more than $5,000 toward a $10,000 goal.

"Adding to this tragedy, my brother's girlfriend was also on the back of the motorcycle and suffered injuries requiring surgery, although her condition is not life-threatening," the description reads. "A selfless act of love, my brother had given his helmet to his girlfriend to wear, leaving him unprotected during the accident."

WFSB Eyewitness News 3 reports two people were seriously injured in a motorcycle crash Friday after a car struck their bike on Walnut Tree Road in Shelton.

A link to the WFSB story was posted in the description of a separate GoFundMe campaign launched to support Velasco when he was still in critical condition.

In a news release, Shelton Police Det. Richard Bango said the department received several 911 calls Friday around 10 a.m. reporting a motorcycle and vehicle crash on Walnut Tree Road and Thompson Street.

When police and EMS officers arrived in the area, they found a 21-year-old man and 22-year-old woman in the roadway with serious injuries, Bango said.

Further investigation revealed the man was driving the motorcycle, with the woman as a passenger, south on Walnut Tree Hill Road when a vehicle traveling north on the road took a left on Thompson Street, striking the motorcycle and encroaching its path of travel, according to Bango.

The driver of the motorcycle and the passenger were taken to Bridgeport Hospital. At the time of the crash, the woman was admitted with non-life-threatening injuries and the man was placed in intensive care with critical injuries.

The driver of the vehicle, 17, was not injured in the crash, Bango said. He also noted the crash is still under investigation and no enforcement action has been taken yet.

The crash occurred just days before Velasco' 22nd birthday Tuesday, which he planned to celebrate this week with his friends and family, according to both campaigns.

"We are reaching out to our community for support and assistance in raising funds to cover funeral expenses," the description reads, "and any other memorial service expenses [and] cost associated with honoring Cody...every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a difference in helping support Cody during this critical time. Your generosity and kindness will contribute to ease the burden as we celebrate the life of a sweet young boy who was loved by many many many people."

Anyone who wishes to donate to Ariel Velasco's GoFundMe campaign can do so here.

Those who wish to donate to a separate campaign, organized by Will Torres, can do so here.

As of Thursday morning, Torres' GoFundMe page has received over 140 donations and raised more than $8,000 toward a $15,000 goal.

On Monday, News 12 Connecticut reported Velasco was still fighting for his life after the crash, however family members said he was not showing brain activity.

A number of friends and family members recently gathered outside Bridgeport Hospital, where both Velasco and his girlfriend were being taken care of, to show their support for the couple, according to News 12 Connecticut.