PHILADELPHIA — The driver accused of killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew as they rode bicycles on a country road had a blood-alcohol level of 0.087, higher than the legal limit of 0.08 in New Jersey, a prosecutor said Friday.
Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew, 29, were murdered in Carneys Point, New Jersey, on August 29, the night before they were to serve as groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding.
The driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins of nearby Woodstown, New Jersey, is charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and alcohol in a motor vehicle. During a virtual court hearing Friday, a judge ordered him held in custody for trial, despite defense arguments that he was a married father and law-abiding citizen before the crash.
“He’s an empathetic person and a loving father of two daughters,” defense attorney Matthew Portella said. “He’s a good person and he made a terrible decision that night.”
Higgins told police he had drunk five or six beers that day and admitted to drinking alcohol while driving, the complaint said. He also failed a field sobriety test, the complaint said. A prosecutor said Friday he had been drinking at home after finishing a work call about 3 p.m. and had an unpleasant conversation with a family member.
Higgins also had a history of road rage and reckless driving, according to Salem County First Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Flynn. He said Higgins apparently became frustrated when the two drivers in front of him slowed down to get around the bicyclists and sped up to pass them on the right, hitting the Gaudreaus.
“He indicated he didn’t even see them,” said Superior Court Judge Michael J. Silvanio, who said Higgins’ admitted “impatience” caused two deaths.
Higgins could face up to 20 years in prison. The judge said he was a flight risk.
Higgins has a master’s degree, works in finance for a company that provides addiction treatment and has fought in Iraq, his lawyers said. But his wife said he had been drinking regularly since working from home and told them he had a history of “driving like a maniac,” prosecutors said.
Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey”, played 10 full seasons in the league and was set to enter his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets after signing a seven-year, $68 million contract in 2022. He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, a period in which he became one of the game’s best players and a fan favorite across North America.
Widows Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau described their husbands as being devoted to each other their entire lives. Both women are pregnant and both gave moving eulogies at Monday’s double funeral.
