I was in a car accident with my dad when i was 8. I got a settlement but my dad will not speak to me for some reason. This is money for college

The money may be on deposit with the County Surrogate's Office.  Call the county in which the complaint was filed, and ask for the minor's accounts department .  since you were only 8 when the accident occurred, the money might have been held there until you turned 18.  If the money is not there, then where it was to be held would be in the settlement documents of the case, which you can find on file at the county courthouse.  the complaint would have been filed in the county in which you were living at the time of the accident.