Former New Jersey high school hockey player killed in Thanksgiving crash

A two-car crash in Morris County on Thanksgiving night killed a former Roxbury High School hockey standout.

Gavin Barooah, 19, of the Ledgewood section of Roxbury Township, was killed in a crash at the intersection of the Morris and Sussex Turnpikes Thursday evening, officials with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Saturday.

“The Roxbury hockey community learned today of the passing of a friend, teammate and captain – Gavin Barooah 2005-2024,” the Roxbury High School Gaels hockey program booster association wrote on its Instagram account Friday. “To our extended hockey family: let us honor Gavin’s memory.”

Police were called to the intersection of Morris and Sussex Turnpikes in Randolph at 8 p.m. Thursday for a report of an accident, officials with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Officials said two cars collided and the driver of one of the cars died at the scene. The other driver was taken to the hospital with injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.

There were no passengers in any of the vehicles, officials said.

Barooah was a former captain and standout player on the Roxbury High varsity ice hockey team.

He was a two-time All-Haas Division honoree, second-team All-Haas Division senior defenseman in the MCSSIHL for Roxbury in 2023-2024 and first-team All-Haas Division junior defenseman the year before.

He totaled 19 goals and 20 assists during his high school career, with 11 of his goals coming as a junior.