Driver accused of killing NHL's Johnny Gaudreau and brother denied bail, had .087 blood-alcohol level
Sean Higgins, the man charged with killing NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, in an alleged drunken driving crash on Aug. 29, has been denied bail and will remain in jail, a New Jersey judge ruled on Friday.
The 43-year-old Higgins is charged with two counts of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. His blood-alcohol level was recorded at .087, above the .08 legal limit in New Jersey, according to prosecutors.
Higgins was present during a virtual court hearing Friday, and a judge ordered he be held for trial due to his history of alleged road rage and aggressive driving. He has seven days to appeal and will be in court Oct. 15 for a pre-indictment conference.
The Gaudreaus were killed close to their childhood home in New Jersey the evening before their sister Katie's wedding, where they were to serve as groomsmen. According to police, they were struck by an SUV driven by Higgins that was attempting to pass two other vehicles.
Johnny Gaudreau was 31 years old; Matthew Gaudreau was 29.
Higgins had told police he had "five or six" beers the day of the crash and admitted to drinking alcohol while driving that evening. He was driving aggressively behind a sedan above the 50 mph speed limit and was tailgating, the driver told police.
When the driver and the vehicle ahead of a sedan slowed down and moved left to go around the biking Gaudreaus, Higgins sped up, moved right and struck the brothers, according to two other drivers.
“He indicated he didn’t even see them,” said Superior Court Judge Michael J. Silvanio, who said the deaths were caused by Higgins' admitted "impatience."
Higgins faces up to 20 years in jail.
A memorial service for the brothers was held Monday in Media, Pennsylvania.
Johnny Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, revealed during during the eulogy that she is pregnant with their third child. Their daughter, Noa, is 2 years old, and their son, Johnny, was born in February.
Matthew Gaudreau's widow, Madeline, is also pregnant with the couple's first child. A GoFundMe fundraiser was launched to support the family and has raised nearly $800,000 as of Friday.
