Driver charged in death of hockey star Johnny Gaudreau pleads not guilty

Jan 8

Chris Francis Sports Reporter

By Chris Francis (Sports Reporter), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

The driver charged in the deaths of hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew pleaded not guilty Tuesday, Jan. 8, in a New Jersey courtroom after turning down a plea deal of 35 years in prison. Sean M. Higgins, 44, appeared briefly to enter the plea.

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Higgins is being held on charges, including two counts each of aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide. Other charges include evidence tampering as well as leaving the scene of an accident that took place on Aug. 29, 2024.

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The day before their sister’s wedding, the Gaudreau brothers were out for an early morning bike ride when Higgins allegedly struck them while trying to pass another vehicle. A driver in front of Higgins told police he had been driving aggressively.

When she and another driver slowed down and moved left to go around the cyclists, Higgins sped up and veered right, striking the Gaudreaus, she said.

Prosecutors say Higgins, a married father of two, has a history of road rage and was impaired on the day of the crash. Police say he had a blood alcohol level of .087 and also failed a field sobriety test.

31-year-old Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 10 full seasons in the National Hockey League. His most recent stint was in Columbus, where he was about to start his third season. The Blue Jackets retired Gaudreau’s number, 13, during the season’s opening week. Every other team in the league also paid tribute to the New Jersey native and his brother when the season began.

Defense lawyers, in a statement, said they hope to prove that the deaths stemmed not from any “malfeasance” but from “a combination of uniquely unfortunate circumstances unlikely to ever occur again.” The case will now proceed to a trial.

Tags: New Jersey, NHL

THE DRIVER CHARGED IN THE DEATHS OF HOCKEY STAR JOHNNY GADREAU AND HIS BROTHER MATTHEW PLEADED NOT GUILTY TUESDAY IN A NEW JERSEY COURTROOM AFTER TURNING DOWN A PLEA DEAL OF 35 YEARS IN PRISON.

SEAN M. HIGGINS APPEARED BRIEFLY TO ENTER THE PLEA. HE’S BEING HELD ON CHARGES INCLUDING TWO COUNTS EACH OF AGGRAVATED MANSLAUGHTER AND VEHICULAR HOMICIDE, ALONG WITH EVIDENCE TAMPERING AND LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST 29TH.

THE GADREAU BROTHERS WERE CYCLING ALONG THE ROAD IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS – ON THE EVE OF THEIR SISTER’S WEDDING – WHEN HIGGINS ALLEGEDLY STRUCK THEM TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD SLOWED DOWN.

PROSECUTORS SAY HIGGINS, A MARRIED FATHER OF TWO HAD A HISTORY OF ROAD RAGE AND WAS IMPAIRED THAT DAY. POLICE SAY HE HAD A BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .087 AND FAILED A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST.

31-YEAR-OLD JOHNNY GADREAU, KNOWN AS “JOHNNY HOCKEY” PLAYED 10 FULL SEASONS IN THE NHL MOST RECENTLY IN COLUMBUS WHERE HE WAS ABOUT TO START HIS THIRD SEASON. THE BLUE JACKETS RETIRED GADREAU’S NUMBER 29 DURING THE SEASON’S OPENING WEEK. EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE NHL ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE NEW JERSEY NATIVE AND HIS BROTHER.

HIGGINS DEFENSE LAWYER CALLED HIM A COMBAT VETERAN, A LOVING FATHER AND A GOOD PERSON WHO QUOTE “MADE A HORRIBLE DECISION THAT NIGHT.” THE CASE WILL NOW MOVE TOWARD A TRIAL.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS