American hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were tragically killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding bicycles on a New Jersey roadway, United States, just hours before they were to serve as groomsmen in their sister’s wedding, officials have reported.
The incident occurred around 8:19 p.m. Thursday on a county road in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, near the Delaware River.
According to New Jersey State Police, the brothers were struck by a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was attempting to pass two slower-moving vehicles. The driver of the Jeep, identified as 43-year-old Sean Higgins, has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide in the second degree.
State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron noted that Higgins was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol. A probable cause affidavit filed with the Salem County Superior Court revealed that Higgins had consumed approximately 5-6 beers before the accident and admitted that his alcohol consumption contributed to his reckless driving.
Higgins made his first court appearance on Friday afternoon but did not enter a plea. He is currently being held without bond at the Salem County Correctional Facility pending a detention motion hearing scheduled for September 5, according to Salem County court criminal division manager Crystal Harris.
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, was known for his vibrant performance on the ice and had a distinguished career. Drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft from Boston College, he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2022-2023 season, during which he scored 12 goals and provided 48 assists. Over his 11-season career, Gaudreau accumulated 243 career goals and 743 points and made seven All-Star game appearances. The Columbus Blue Jackets described the deaths as an “unimaginable tragedy” in a social media post on August 30.
The Gaudreau brothers were set to participate as groomsmen at their sister’s wedding in Philadelphia, as detailed on her wedding registry page at TheKnot.com.
In a family statement posted on Facebook, their uncle Jim Gaudreau expressed the profound loss: “Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers-in-law, two nephews, two cousins, two family members, two teammates, two friends but truly two amazing humans. We want to let everyone know we are receiving your messages of love and support and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers.”
