Clark 'Designated Driver' Mourned After Crash In Awful Irony

CLARK, NJ — At 20 years old, Michael Sot of Clark made the right choice to be a responsible adult and look after his friends early Sunday morning. He chose to be the designated driver that night to help his fellow The College of New Jersey classmates and Phi Kappa Psi fraternity members get home safe.

Then came the terrible irony. Sot was killed by another driver, in a head-on collision that hospitalized eight people, a crash that police say was allegedly caused by an impaired driver. (Read more: Clark Man, 20, Dies After 8 Hospitalized In Crash: Prosecutor)

A number of people have taken to social media to remember Sot, mourn the tragic loss of their "brother" and even express anger that he did all the right things – only to have his life end in tragedy.

"I didn’t know Michael Sot, but I know the people he was trying to get home safely. This story gets worse and worse, but when you look back at it, always remember that he was doing the right thing," tweeted @ShawshankSyd.

David Lamar, 22, of West Windsor has been charged with seven counts of assault-by-auto after the investigation revealed that he operated a motor vehicle while impaired at 2:07 a.m. on Sunday when he struck another car, police said. On Tuesday, a charge of vehicular homicide has been added against Lamar, according Mercer County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Casey A. DeBlasio.

Sot had "head trauma that required surgery, a punctured lung, fractures of L4/5 vertebrae and many broken bones," according to William Walker, the Phi Kappa Psi's president, who set up a GoFundMe page for Sot and the victims.

Sot later died from his injuries and was pronounced dead on Tuesday. Sot's passengers were hospitalized and include: Danielle DeFlores, 21, an open-options major from Brick; Matthew DeGenova, 21, an accounting major from Wall Township; Anthony Galante, 19, a finance major from North Bellmore, NY; Ryan Moore, 21, a marketing major from Midland Park, Walker said.

A recent Arthur L. Johnson High School and math major at TCNJ, Sot leaves behind his parents, three siblings and many friends.

Sot was a star baseball player and member of the National Honor Society at Arthur L. Johnson Regional High School in Clark, New Jersey, according to My Central Jersey.

He also played baseball and attended Saint Joseph's High School in Metuchen.

His fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, issued a statement and is offering counseling for students at the Brower Student Center on Wednesday at noon in Room 225 E.

"We are heartbroken over the passing of Sot. Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers are with the brothers’ families, friends and all who have been affected by this tragedy."

“Heartbroken beyond words....our deepest sympathies to the entire Sot Family. Sending you all an abundance of love and prayers. Rest in Peace sweet boy,” wrote Denise Haddad on the GoFundMe site.

"No parent should ever have to grieve the loss of a child that’s now how it should go. My heart is breaking for this family. May God fill your hearts at this time of need. My deepest condolences RIP Michael," said a local in a Clark community Facebook page.

"We need to think of happy times with Mike. That’s what he would want. Nothing but a great kid and we have to continue to send love and prayers to his family. Keep fighting," tweeted @nickfischetti32.

Others expressed their emotions on the irony of how Sot was the designated driver and he died in a DWI tragedy.

"My condolences to the families and communities. In the age of Uber and Lyft, there is NO reason/excuse to get behind the wheel while impaired," Karin Gitlitz Green posted on Facebook.

A prayer vigil was held on Tuesday night for Sot in front of Clark's Town Hall. A GoFundMe site set up for Sot has also raised $61,903 of the $50,000 goal over the past two days. To donate or more information click here.

(Images via GoFundMe, a promotional partner of Patch: Michael Sot)

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