New details about the motive force charged with killing brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau has emerged throughout a digital courtroom listening to on Friday, Sept. 13.
Sean M. Higgins, who fatally struck the 31-year-old hockey participant and his 29-year-old brother on the night time earlier than their sister’s marriage ceremony on Aug. 29, was allegedly driving with a blood-alcohol stage of .087 when the brothers had been hit on their bicycles, the Salem County, N.J., prosecutor stated in the course of the listening to, in accordance with the Associated Press.
The prosecutor additionally claimed that the daddy of two had been ingesting in his dwelling, the place he labored remotely, after an “upsetting” dialog along with his mom.
Per state legislation, the authorized restrict in N.J. is .08.
In the course of the listening to, a choose stated the 43-year-old Woodstown, N.J., native will stay in custody in the course of the trial after prosecutors found his alleged historical past of highway rage and “aggressive driving,” the AP and the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Salem County’s first assistant prosecutor Jonathan Flynn stated that simply after Higgins’ arrest, his spouse scolded him for his reckless driving when he known as her from jail. Per the AP, Higgins’ spouse reportedly informed her husband, “You had been in all probability driving like a nut like I all the time inform you you do. And also you don’t hearken to me, as an alternative you simply yell at me.”
Nevertheless, Higgins’ lawyer, Matthew Portella, got here to his protection and described his consumer as an “empathetic particular person” and a “loving father of two daughters,” in accordance with the AP.
Portella additionally stated Higgins — who, per the outlet, previously served in fight in Iraq and has been working within the finance division of an dependancy remedy firm — is “a superb individual and he made a horrible resolution that night time.”
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Per the AP and Inquirer, Higgins has been charged with two counts of loss of life by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motorcar.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Salem County prosecutor’s workplace for remark concerning the expenses and listening to.
Johnny and Matthew’s deaths have since rocked the hockey world. Past the beloved brothers’ tragic deaths on the eve of their sister’s marriage ceremony, each Johnny and Matthew’s wives have since introduced that they’re pregnant.
Johnny’s spouse, Meredith Gaudreau, revealed throughout a memorial service for the brothers that she is anticipating one other little one along with her late husband subsequent 12 months.
“John and I had one of the best six months as a household of 4. These will eternally be one of the best six months of my life,” Meredith stated, in accordance with ABC News. “There’s particularly one week that I’ll cherish eternally — it is going to be my favourite week of my life out of these six months. We’re really a household of 5. I am in my ninth week of being pregnant with our third child.”
Matthew’s widow, Madeline Gaudreau, can be pregnant with their first little one, named Tripp. A GoFundMe fundraiser was launched in help of Madeline and Tripp earlier this month, elevating practically $650,000 throughout the first days.