Services Set For Lakewood Officer Killed In Motorcycle Crash

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A public service will be held Friday at FirstEnergy Park to honor Lakewood Patrolman Nicklas Shimonovich, who died Saturday in a motorcycle crash.

Lakewood police announced the funeral services for Shimonovich, 23, who was hired by the Lakewood Police Department in March 2018 and was assigned to the Patrol Division on the evening shift.

Visitation will be held Friday from noon to 2 p.m. at the Lakewood BlueClaws stadium, 2 Stadium Way, Lakewood, with the funeral service at 2 p.m., police said. Shimonovich will be entombed at St. Mary of the Lake Cemetery, Lakewood.

Shimonovich was born in Freehold and lived in Jackson, where he graduated from Jackson Memorial High School. He was a varsity football player and wrestler for the Jaguars. He also was a graduate of the New Jersey State Corrections Academy and the Monmouth County Police Academy.

Shimonovich loved to watch anime cartoons and was a professional bodybuilder and an avid fisherman, his obituary on the D'Elia Funeral Home website said.

He was a loving son, brother, grandson and nephew and will be greatly missed by all. He is predeceased by his grandfather, Leo Shimonovich. He is survived by his parents, Jeannette and Robert Shimonovich, brother, Leonardo Shimonovich, grandparents, Katarina and Tom Maggio, Felix Rivera and Ada Rivera, uncles, Felix Rivera and Marlon Rivera, aunts, Beverly Word and Diana Wealthy, girlfriend, Brianna Peterson, and numerous other cousins, relatives and friends.

Jackson police Capt. Steven Laskiewicz said Shimonovich died at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus following the crash that happened just before 5 p.m. on Thompson Bridge Road. Shimonovich, who was off-duty at the time, was injured when his 2015 Harley Davidson ran off the road and struck a mailbox and utility trailer that was parked along the road. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, Laskiewicz said.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DEliaFuneralHome.com for the Shimonovich family.

Lakewood police said Shimonovich was well respected by his peers, supervisors and the community he loved to served. Condolences also can be sent to the family at https://heroesoftheline.org/392.

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Lakewood Patch on Facebook.