The driving force accused of placing and killing NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew whereas drunk over the summer time has been indicted, NBC10 confirmed.
On Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, a grand jury indicted Sean Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, on expenses of second-degree reckless vehicular murder, first-degree aggravated manslaughter, fourth-degree tampering with bodily proof and second-degree leaving the scene of a deadly accident.
On Aug. 29, 2024, at 8:19 p.m., Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, had been driving their bikes north on County Route 551 in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. On the identical time Higgins was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee north on County Route 551, based on investigators.
Higgins tried to move two autos forward of him and entered the southbound lanes, police stated. An SUV in entrance of Higgins moved to the center of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes as a way to safely move the Gaudreau brothers as they rode their bikes on the correct aspect of the street, based on investigators.
Higgins then tried to move the SUV and struck the Gaudreau brothers, police stated. Each brothers died from their accidents.
New Jersey state troopers responded to the crash and spoke with Higgins on Pennsville Auburn Highway, investigators stated. One of many troopers seen Higgins’ breath smelled like alcohol, based on the felony grievance. Higgins allegedly admitted to ingesting 5 to 6 beers previous to the crash. Investigators additionally stated Higgins failed a sobriety take a look at.
Investigators stated he had a blood-alcohol stage of .087, which is above the state’s .08 authorized restrict.
NBC10 obtained physique digital camera footage of Sean Higgins moments after he allegedly struck and killed NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew again on Aug. 29, 2024, in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Investigators stated Higgins was drunk when he crashed into the brothers, who had been biking the evening earlier than their sister’s wedding ceremony.
In a video of the arrest, Higgins will be seen standing and smoking a cigarette whereas officers ask him questions on what led as much as the crash.
The video runs slightly below 10 minutes and exhibits police operating numerous exams on Higgins to see if he was intoxicated.
Then round 7 minutes into the video, an officer locations handcuffs on Higgins and he’s arrested.
On the finish of the video, Higgins turns to the officer and asks, “Is everyone okay back there? I mean, what happened?”
Higgins was arrested and is presently lodged within the Salem County Correctional Facility. Throughout a court docket listening to in November, the choose stated that Higgins was a flight threat and ordered him jailed till the trial.
Higgins’ arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025, based on a spokesperson with NJ Courts.
Higgins had earlier driving violations
NBC10 obtained the New Jersey driver historical past for Higgins. Our investigators discovered that Higgins had beforehand been stopped by police for unsafe driving and different violations.
In keeping with court docket data, Higgins had two prior circumstances in North Carolina through the early 2000s. The data present he was charged with DWI in 2005 however the expenses had been voluntarily dismissed because of the officer concerned not displaying up in court docket. Higgins additionally had a rushing ticket in 2001 that was dismissed due to his good driving report on the time.
By means of an open data request to New Jersey’s Motor Automobile Fee, we had been in a position to see that Higgins was concerned in two automotive crashes: One in 2016 and the opposite in 2021.
The lethal crash occurred the evening earlier than each brothers had been set to attend their sister’s wedding ceremony as groomsmen, per particulars on TheKnot.com confirmed by NBC10.
Johnny Gaudreau — nicknamed “Johnny Hockey” — was born in Salem, New Jersey, and grew up in Carneys Level Township, New Jersey. He performed highschool hockey at Gloucester Catholic Excessive College in Gloucester Metropolis, New Jersey, after which school hockey with the the Boston Faculty Eagles from 2011 to 2014. Gaudreau helped the Eagles to the 2012 NCAA nationwide championship as a freshman, scoring 44 factors in 44 video games that season.
He was named the 2014 winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the very best participant within the NCAA and was chosen by the Calgary Flames within the 2011 NHL Draft.
Gaudreau entered the NHL in 2014 and performed for the Flames for 9 seasons. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Crew in 2015 and was a seven-time NHL All-Star. He represented Crew USA at 5 IIHF World Championships and was a gold medal winner with the U.S. crew on the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championship.
Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022 and was set to enter his third season with the membership this fall.
Each Gaudreau brothers had been “deeply rooted in the Philadelphia and New Jersey community, where they spent their entire childhood on the ice,” the Philadelphia Flyers stated in an announcement. The brothers grew up enjoying hockey within the Philly space, at Gloucester Catholic in addition to with Crew Comcast and the Philadelphia Little Flyers.
Matt Gaudreau additionally performed 4 seasons at Boston Faculty earlier than embarking on a professional profession that noticed stops with 4 golf equipment within the ECHL and American Hockey League. He returned to the native space to teach at his alma mater, Gloucester Catholic, in addition to with youth and junior groups at Hollydell Ice Area in Sewell, New Jersey, the place their father was the hockey director.
Johnny Gaudreau was additionally inducted into Gloucester Catholic’s Corridor of Fame and, alongside along with his brother, continuously gave again to the college by elevating cash and contributing to the hockey program.
