Driver Charged in Fatal Crash That Killed NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother, Had .087 Blood-Alcohol Level
Philadelphia — The driver charged with killing NHL hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew while bicycling on a rural road had a blood-alcohol level of.087, which was higher than the.08 legal limit in New Jersey, a prosecutor said Friday.
Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew, 29, were killed near their childhood home in South Jersey on August 29, the evening before they were scheduled to act as groomsmen in their sister Katie’s wedding.
Sean M. Higgins, 43, of nearby Woodstown, New Jersey, is charged with two charges of vehicular death, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and driving while intoxicated. After prosecutors recounted a history of suspected road rage and violent driving, a judge ordered him to stand trial during a virtual court hearing on Friday.
“You were probably driving like a nut, as I usually say you do. And you don’t listen to me; instead, you just yell at me,” Higgins’ wife told him when he called her from jail after his arrest, according to Salem County First Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Flynn.
The defense depicted Higgins as a married father and law-abiding citizen prior to the 8:19 p.m. crash.
“He’s an empathetic individual, and he’s a loving father of two daughters,” defense attorney Matthew Portella stated. “He’s a good person, and he made a horrible decision that night.”
According to the criminal complaint, Higgins admitted to drinking five or six beers that day and drove while intoxicated. In addition, the lawsuit stated that he failed a field sobriety test. A prosecutor stated on Friday that he had been drinking at home after ending a business call about 3 p.m. and having an uncomfortable talk with his mother about a family issue.
He then made a two-hour phone call to a friend while driving around in his Jeep with an open container, Flynn said. The motorist told authorities that he had been driving aggressively behind a vehicle going slightly above the 50 mph speed limit, sometimes tailgating.
When she and the vehicle in front of her slowed and drove to the left to avoid the cyclists, Higgins accelerated and turned right, colliding with the Gaudreaus, according to the other drivers.
“He indicated he didn’t even see them,” said Superior Court Judge Michael J. Silvanio, claiming Higgins’ apparent “impatience” caused two deaths.
If convicted, Higgins faces up to 20 years in prison, which the judge deemed a flight risk.
Higgins has a master’s degree, works in finance for an addiction treatment facility, and has fought in combat in Iraq, according to his lawyers. However, his wife claimed that since working from home, he had been drinking on a regular basis, Flynn stated.
Johnny Gaudreau, also known as “Johnny Hockey,” has played ten full seasons in the league and was scheduled to begin his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022 after signing a seven-year, $68 million contract. He spent his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, where he established himself as one of the sport’s best players and a fan favorite across North America.
Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau, widows, described their husbands as lifelong partners. Both ladies are pregnant, and both delivered heartfelt eulogies at a heartbreaking double burial on Monday.
“I urge everyone to never drink and drive,” Madeline Gaudreau stated. “Call for a ride. Please do not subject another family to this pain. Matty and John’s deaths will leave an indelible mark on the family, his close friends, and the community for all time.
In their bail application, defense lawyers recommended that Higgins be prohibited to driving solely with a locking device to prevent him from drinking and driving. They also noticed that he tested slightly above the legal limit, and that a recent knee surgery likely influenced the field test.
However, Flynn contended that the locking device would not address what he called “the fundamental issue” of Higgins’ “angry and aggressive driving,” which was compounded by alcohol that day.