Pennsylvania man sentenced to 18 years for aggravated manslaughter in fatal Warren County pursuit crash
BELVIDERE, N.J. (Warren County) — A Pennsylvania man was sentenced Friday to 18 years in New Jersey State Prison for aggravated manslaughter in a 2024 crash that killed a motorcyclist in Hope Township as he fled from a state trooper, the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
Sean Mamakas, 34, of Kempton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced Dec. 12, 2025, in Warren County Superior Court by Judge Reema Kareer. He pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter for causing the death of 76-year-old Michael Ceddia of Hackettstown while fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. Under state law, he must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on Aug. 13, 2024, when New Jersey State Police Trooper Christopher Bird began following a sport utility vehicle on Interstate 80 eastbound near milepost 11 to conduct a motor vehicle stop around 10:19 a.m. Investigators said the driver — later identified as Mamakas — ignored commands to stop, continued east, exited at Exit 12, and traveled south on County Road 521 in Hope Township.
At about 10:20 a.m., while attempting to elude police, Mamakas’ gray Ford Explorer collided with a motorcycle traveling south on County Road 521 near Dogwood Road. The impact ejected the motorcyclist and caused Mamakas to lose control of the SUV, which left the roadway and came to rest in a wooded area.
Medical aid was rendered, but Ceddia died at the scene. Mamakas was arrested, treated for injuries, and lodged in the Warren County Correctional Center pending his first court appearance.
As required under New Jersey law for any death occurring during a law enforcement encounter, the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability conducted an independent investigation into the pursuit. Evidence reviewed included body-worn and dashboard camera footage, radio transmissions, witness interviews, and autopsy results.
A state grand jury voted “no bill” on May 20, 2025, finding no basis for criminal charges against Trooper Bird. The Attorney General’s Office later released the footage publicly in accordance with transparency policy, and members of Ceddia’s family viewed the recordings beforehand.
The fatal crash investigation was conducted jointly by the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police.
