Sean CullenThe 22-year-old driver who struck Cullen stopped immediately and cooperated with police. She has not been charged, nor is she being identified.
"From the day he stepped on campus, he wanted to be a New Jersey state trooper," Roger Crebs, Cullen's wrestling coach at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa told the Courier-Post. "He knew what he wanted to do and he went through the different levels to accomplish it."
"That's kind of how he operated in the wrestling room."
Cullen was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1985, and came to the United States three years later. He grew up in Cinnaminson, where, as a high school wrestler, he was captain of the wrestling team and the first wrestler in school history to reach 100 wins. It was at Cinnaminson High School where Cullen caught the eye of Lycoming's Crebs.
"He's the type of kid, that he had a goal in mind, and he knew what he needed to do to get to those goals," Crebs said.
Cullen lived up to expectations. A three-time NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships qualifier for the Lycoming Warriors, Cullen earned All-American honors by placing sixth in the 133-pound bracket at the 2005 NCAAs as a sophomore. He was also a three-time placer at the Middle Atlantic Conference championships. Cullen served as team captain his junior and senior years. Four years ago, Cullen was welcomed into the Lycoming Athletics Hall of Fame.
Lycoming Athletics posted this message on its Facebook page Tuesday: "Sean Cullen is one of the great ones. A 2005 All-American at 133 pounds, he finished his career 94-30 and was inducted into the Lycoming Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this incredibly painful time."
Beyond wrestling, Cullen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from Lycoming in 2007. Immediately after college, Cullen launched his police career by serving in three New Jersey communities from April 2007 to February 2012, he worked as a police officer in two communities before graduating from the State Police training academy in August 2014.
Cullen leaves behind a fiancee and a 9-month-old son. He is also survived by his father and mother, two brothers (one is a state police detective), and a sister.
Cullen was the third New Jersey state trooper to die in the line of duty in 10 months.
Update March 10: Funeral arrangements have been announced. Visitation will take place at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 2500 Branch Pike, Cinnaminson, NJ on Sunday from 2-7 p.m. and Monday 8-11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at noon.
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