Driver Pleads Not Guilty in Fatal Hit-and-Run Case Involving Hockey Players
A New Jersey driver, Sean M Higgins, 44, has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the hit-and-run incident that resulted in the deaths of hockey players Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew. The brothers were riding their bicycles on a rural road when the incident occurred on August 29.
Case to Go to Trial
Higgins appeared in court and entered a formal not-guilty plea after rejecting a prosecutor’s offer of a 35-year prison sentence. The case will now proceed to trial. According to the police report, Higgins had a history of road rage and was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, having consumed five or six beers.
Charges and Evidence
Higgins is facing charges of aggravated murder, tampering with evidence, and leaving the scene of an accident. The police report also revealed that Higgins had a blood alcohol level of 0.087, which is above the state’s legal limit of 0.08.
A female driver who witnessed the incident reported that Higgins was driving aggressively. When she and another driver slowed down to pass the cyclists, Higgins accelerated and swerved to the right, striking the Gaudreau brothers. The brothers suffered serious injuries and were unable to recover.