A judge in Salem, New Jersey, upheld charges against Sean Higgins, the driver accused of hitting and killing NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew while they were cycling at night. The defense argued that the Gaudreau brothers had blood-alcohol levels above the legal limit, but the judge ruled that this did not diminish the charges of manslaughter and vehicular homicide against Higgins. Witnesses stated that the brothers were riding safely before being struck by Higgins, who is facing multiple charges including reckless vehicular homicide and aggravated manslaughter.
Johnny Gaudreau, known as "Johnny Hockey," was tragically killed in the incident, which occurred on the eve of his sister's wedding in August 2024. His widow, Meredith, has since given birth to their third child, while Matthew, who played hockey at Boston College, was working as a high school coach. Higgins, a combat veteran and father of two, admitted to consuming alcohol before the accident, but his lawyers emphasized that they were not blaming the cyclists for the incident. The judge found the charges against Higgins to be sound and set a trial date for June 10, with Higgins facing a maximum of 70 years in prison if convicted on all counts.