Heartbreak and clarity intertwine as more details emerge concerning the tragic accident that claimed the lives of Columbus Blue Jackets star forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew on August 29. Recently released police body-camera footage obtained by ABC6 captures the arrest of Sean Higgins, the suspect in the DUI crash that resulted in this devastating loss.
Higgins was noted to have been cooperative during his arrest, despite experiencing discomfort potentially due to recent knee surgery, as he attempted to complete the field sobriety test. In a deeply unsettling moment, captured in the footage that police released at approximately 8:45 p.m., Higgins can be heard asking the New Jersey state trooper, as detailed by The Columbus Dispatch, "Is everybody OK back there? I mean what happened?" only to be told, "We'll talk about that (later)." A crash report by New Jersey State Police, noted by ABC6, stated that Higgins was accused of trying to improperly pass an uninvolved vehicle before striking the Gaudreau brothers, who were then pronounced dead at the scene at 8:37 p.m.
As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, Higgins, after hitting the brothers, drove for approximately 1,500 feet before stopping his vehicle. According to police, the area where the crash occurred was extraordinarily dark and lacked street lighting. At present, Higgins faces two counts of vehicular homicide and remains in custody without bond, with additional charges, including consumption of alcohol while driving.
Meanwhile, the case continues to draw widespread attention and sorrow, not least because of the Gaudreaus' local ties—the brothers had been in southern New Jersey for their sister's wedding. Johnny Gaudreau, affectionately known as "Johnny Hockey," and his brother Matthew, a Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey coach, leave behind a legacy deeply rooted in their community and the hockey world. Details continue to unravel as a 30-day extension before an indictment filing deadline on December 27 offers to piece together further the events of that fateful night, as told by NBC4i.
