Sean Higgins, the New Jersey driver accused of killing NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew in a late-summer crash, rejected a state plea agreement in court on Monday, setting the stage for a high-stakes trial early next year as Sportsnet.ca reported. The 45-year-old Army veteran faces an array of charges, including two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, stemming from the Aug. 29, 2024, collision in Oldmans Township that claimed the lives of the two brothers.
The Plea Rejection and Facing Decades Behind Bars
During the final pretrial hearing at the Salem County Courthouse, Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio questioned Higgins to confirm his decision to turn down the prosecution’s latest offer. Prosecutors had offered a deal requiring Higgins to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated manslaughter and a first-offense DUI in exchange for a 28-year prison sentence, where New Jersey law would require him to serve 85 percent behind bars, according to Court TV. This marked the second plea offer Higgins refused, following a 35-year proposal he turned down in 2025.
Judge Silvanio cautioned the defendant that if he is convicted at trial on all current counts—which also include reckless vehicular homicide, tampering with physical evidence, and leaving the scene—he faces a maximum sentence of 91.5 years with parole eligibility only after serving 68 years.
Defense Concedes Higgins Drove over Legal Alcohol Limit
In a surprising shift during Monday’s proceedings, defense attorneys conceded that Higgins was driving just over the legal alcohol limit at the time of the crash. Legal counsel Richard Klineburger acknowledged that a defense-conducted test on a non-tainted blood tube returned a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08, moving away from an earlier claim that Higgins tested at 0.075—below New Jersey’s 0.08 legal threshold—while prosecution figures previously pointed to 0.087, as detailed by the Toronto Sun.
The defense has maintained other contentions regarding the circumstances of the crash, arguing that the Gaudreau brothers had blood-alcohol levels over the legal limit and were riding bicycles without required lights along a dark stretch of roadway. New court filings also introduced updated accident scene schematics and photographs showing the damaged black Jeep Grand Cherokee alongside the mangled bicycles.
Timeline for Jury Selection and Trial Proceedings
The fatal crash occurred as Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were cycling near their family home on the way back from their sister’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Johnny Gaudreau was 31 years old and had played 11 seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, while Matthew Gaudreau, 29, was a former Boston College player working as a high school coach.
Judge Silvanio scheduled jury selection to begin on Dec. 1 in Salem County. Following a holiday break, the trial will officially commence on Jan. 4, bringing the heavily scrutinized case before a jury as both sides prepare for opening statements.
Sean Higgins, the driver charged in the deaths of former Calgary Flames star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, is to return to court today.Here's how the legal case against the driver charged in the deaths of the Gaudreau brothers could unfold. https://t.co/tlobNEcoyA
More on Sean Higgins
Sean Higgins appears in a Salem County courtroom for a pre-trial hearing in the deaths of Columbus Blue Jackets #CBJ star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. https://t.co/YjbBbSTaDS
A Salem County judge has set a trial date for Sean Higgins, the man charged with aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the crash that killed NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. https://t.co/DoUR595cdU pic.twitter.com/1axDhkTc5r
