KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - Football and basketball athlete Colton R. Tibbetts, 23, who was tragically killed Wednesday, March 25, in a single car crash in Melrose, was remembered in a candlelight vigil at Keystone Beach on Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. His funeral was on Sunday with a firefighter processioin at 4 p.m at Community Christian Church.
Tibbetts, who graduated in 2021 from Keystone Heights, was dual sport athlete starring in football and basketball.
Tibbetts, a Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Rescue Engineer since a promotion at age 22 in November 2025, was following the footsteps of his father, JFRD Lt. Brian Tibbetts. Tibbetts's mother is Judy Tibbetts.
Tibbetts was Melrose firefighter after high school, and was hired by JFRD in July 2022. His promotion to Rescue Engineer at age 22 was considered a huge tribute to his hard work and dedication to his craft.
As a football running back and safety for the Indians, Tibbetts was part of a hard-running backfield that produced seasons of 6-3 and 7-3 in his junior and senior seasons, and was a prelude to a 10-2 region playoff finish in 2021 for many of his teammates. Tibbetts rushed for 661 yards as a senior running back with an 7.4 yards a carry average with 11 touchdowns. Tibbetts also was a ball hawk on defense with seasons of three and four interceptions along with 47 and 34 tackles, respectively, during his final two seasons.
On the basketball court, Tibbetts was an athletic ballhandler and shooting forward on a team that finished 11-14.
Jones-Gallagher Funeral Home in Keystone Heights is handling the funeral preparations.
