SALEM COUNTY, NJ — The case into the SUV crash that killed the Gaudreau brothers in South Jersey received a major step forward on Monday, when a judge ruled that jury selection will begin on Dec. 1 for a Jan. 4, 2027 trial.
Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were riding bikes along County Road 551 North in Oldmans Township on Aug. 29, 2024 when they were hit by an alleged drunk driver on the eve of their sister's wedding.
Sean M. Higgins, 45, of Woodstown, who was driving the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee and charged in the case, rejected a plea deal on Monday in his pre-trial hearing.
According to the New York Times, the move would've required him to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated manslaughter for a total of 28 years in jail and first-offense driving under the influence (DWI).
This is the second plea offer that Higgins has turned down.
Higgins currently faces two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, two counts of second-degree reckless vehicular homicide, one count of tampering with physical evidence, and one count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
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In the weeks prior to the pre-trail hearing on Monday, a group of new photos surfaced in court records showing the aftermath of the collision.
Higgins had tried to pass a slower-moving sedan and SUV, police said. He entered the southbound lanes, passed the sedan and moved back to the northbound side.
The SUV in front of Higgins then moved to the middle of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to safely pass the Gaudreaus, authorities said.
Over the course of the last two years, he has pleaded not guilty to all charges and filed a motion to dismiss an indictment regarding the accuracy of the claim that he was legally intoxicated while driving the SUV.
If convicted on all counts, Higgins faces a maximum sentence of 91 1/2 years in jail.
Known as "Johnny Hockey," Johnny starred for the National Hockey League's (NHL) Columbus Blue Jackets and was known around the league as a prominent face of the sport in America. His brother, Matthew, also played professionally for the development-tier American Hockey League (AHL) before turning to coaching.
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