Sean Higgins, the man who killed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, was arrested and facing 20+ years in prison

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Daniel Lucente
August 30, 2024 (2:23 PM)

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Police have arrested and charged Sean Higgins, the drunk man who struck and ended the life of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau.

It was a sad moment on Thursday evening as the star forward for the Blue Jackets, Johnny Gaudreau, and his brother Matthew were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver in New Jersey as they went about their cycling.

According to the New Jersey State Police, the deadly collision occurred on a rural road in Oldsman Township, Salem County, about 30 miles south of Philadelphia. Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29-years-old, died in the crash.

The driver, Sean Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence. He has since been indicted on two counts of vehicular homicide and is being held at Salem County Correctional Facility. Authorities have not yet announced a date for Higgins to appear in court. Higgins could be facing over 20 years in prison if found guilty on both counts.

Heartbreakingly, Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were to be part of the wedding party, serving as groomsmen, at their sister's wedding in Philadelphia the very next day. Johnny is survived by his wife, Meredith, and their two small children, Noa and Johnny, born in Columbus.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch
NJ man arrested in suspected drunk-driving crash that killed Blue Jackets' Johnny Gaudreau