Man charged with killing NHL’s Johnny Gaudreau and brother turns down deal The driver charged with killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, as they cycled on a rural New Jersey road pleaded not guilty to the indictment on Tuesday after turning down a prosecution offer of 35 years in prison.
Sean M Higgins, 44, appeared briefly in court in Salem county, New Jersey, and entered a formal plea to the recent indictment in the 29 August deaths.
Police say Higgins had a history of road rage and was impaired on the day of the Gaudreaus’ deaths after drinking five or six beers.
Higgins said he had been driving around for two hours, sometimes talking by phone with a friend, after an upsetting conversation with his mother.
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were killed near their childhood home on the eve of their sister’s wedding.
