Police body camera footage from the New Jersey State Police reveals the moments leading up to the arrest of a suspected drunk driver, Sean Higgins, who tragically hit and killed NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matthew Gaudreau, in Salem County, New Jersey.
The video shows Higgins, 43, undergoing sobriety tests after the devastating crash on August 29. Around sunset, Higgins tried to pass a car on the left along a road in Pittsgrove Township but ended up hitting the Gaudreau brothers, who were riding their bikes. The brothers, in town for their sister’s wedding, didn’t survive the crash.
When a state trooper approached Higgins, who was standing near his car, the officer asked, “Where were you coming from, sir?” Higgins replied, “Taco Bell,” adding that he had been at his house before that.
The trooper then asked how much Higgins had to drink. Higgins admitted, “I mean, I’ve been drinking beers, but I haven’t had one in like two hours.” As the troopers guided him through a series of field sobriety tests, Higgins appeared wobbly. During one test, he struggled to balance on one foot, blaming his difficulty on a recent knee surgery.
“I’m sorry, I’m just freaked out. What am I supposed to be doing again?” Higgins said nervously. He later admitted to drinking “five or six” beers that day.
Eventually, the troopers arrested Higgins after determining his blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.087, slightly above the legal limit of 0.08. While handcuffed, Higgins asked, “Is everything OK back there? I mean, what happened?” The trooper told him they would discuss it later. Tragically, the answer was not what anyone would want to hear—Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau had lost their lives in the crash.
The Gaudreau brothers, originally from Carney’s Point, New Jersey, were beloved members of their community. Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” was a star player for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL. Matthew also had a promising hockey career, playing in various minor leagues.
Last week, a grand jury indicted Higgins on multiple charges, including two counts of second-degree reckless vehicular homicide, two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, and other related charges.
The heartbreaking loss of the Gaudreau brothers has left a deep impact on their family, friends, and fans, while the legal proceedings against Higgins continue to unfold.
