SALEM COUNTY, New Jersey — The trial date has been set for a man accused of killing Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau in a New Jersey crash two years ago.
A Salem County, New Jersey judge selected Dec. 1 for jury selection, and the trial is set to begin Jan. 5, 2027, according to our news partners at WBNS.
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Sean Higgins was indicted on multiple charges of reckless vehicular homicide, aggravated manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges in January 2025.
A driver in front of Higgins told police that he had been driving aggressively, and when she slowed down and moved left to go around the cyclists, Higgins sped up and veered right, striking the Gaudreaus.
His attorney has challenged the testing of his blood alcohol content, arguing that at least one of the charges should be dismissed and retried due to Higgins’ blood alcohol content being 0.75 and not 0.87, as was presented before the grand jury.
In 2025, a judge dismissed the defense’s argument that the Gaudreaus, whose own blood alcohol levels were .129 or above and who were riding bicycles at the time of the crash, contributed to their own deaths.
Johnny Gaudreau played 10 full seasons in the NHL and was set to start his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames.
Johnny has been honored in many ways since his death, most recently at the 2026 Olympics, when his teammates carried a No. 13 Gaudreau Jersey after the U.S. beat Canada in the gold medal game.
Higgins’ next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 19.
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