The New Jersey driver suspected of being inebriated when hanging NHL participant Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau appeared in court docket for the primary time on Friday, Aug. 30.
In footage shared by ABC affiliate WSYX and coated by a number of retailers together with TMZ and Fox affiliate WTXF, Sean Higgins from Woodstown, New Jersey, appeared earlier than a Salem County Courtroom decide nearly as he was joined by a lawyer from the native public defender workplace.
Throughout his look in court docket, Higgins, 43, was instructed on future proceedings by Choose Michael J. Silvanio, who knowledgeable him that his forthcoming detention listening to would happen on Thursday, Sept. 5, given the vacation weekend.
“So I am right here till Thursday,” Higgins requested towards the top of the looks, earlier than Silvanio clarified that he is required to carry him over for no less than 72 hours earlier than his listening to. Silvanio additionally knowledgeable Higgins that he was charged with two courts on second-degree vehicular murder, each “punishable by a most of 10 years” in state jail.
Higgins additionally expressed his need to rent his personal legal professional for future proceedings.
Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, died in a biking accident near their hometown on Thursday, Aug. 29, ipromiseyoumedia beforehand confirmed. They had been within the space to seem as groomsmen at their sister’s wedding ceremony the next day.
In an announcement in regards to the incident, New Jersey State Police mentioned, “Via additional investigation, Higgins was suspected of being inebriated, charged with two counts of dying by auto, and lodged within the Salem County Correctional Facility. This crash stays an energetic investigation, and no extra data is on the market.”
They added that Higgins was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee behind a sedan and SUV. They mentioned that he then “tried to go the slower-moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound lanes of journey, handed the slower-moving sedan, and tried to re-enter the northbound lanes of journey when the SUV in entrance of Higgins moved to the center of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to securely go the 2 pedal bike owner touring north on the precise aspect of the roadway.”
“Higgins then tried to go the SUV on the precise and struck the 2 pedal cyclists within the rear. Because of the collision, the 2 pedal cyclists sustained deadly accidents,” the police assertion continued.
Johnny is survived by his spouse, Meredith, and their two children — daughter Noa, who turns 2 in October, and son Johnny, 7 months.
Matthew is survived by his spouse of three years, Madeline, who’s at the moment pregnant and anticipating their first child.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, who Johnny signed a seven-year contract with in 2022, referred to as the deaths of Johnny and Matthew an “unimaginable tragedy” in an announcement shared on Aug. 30.
