NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew have both been tragically killed on the eve of their sister’s wedding.
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were struck by a suspected drunk driver riding bicycles down a road in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.
The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to police.
Police told WPVI that a Jeep Grand Cherokee attempted to pass a slower-moving sedan and an SUV while traveling north on County Route 551.
Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron of the New Jersey State Police said in a statement on Friday that the driver of the Grand Cherokee fatally hit the Gaudreau brothers.
The Gaudreau brothers were killed instantly and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver was identified by police as 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins of Woodstown.
Higgins was charged with two counts of death by auto and is being held at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
Higgins was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the deadly accident, Lebron stated.
Citing the police affidavit, WPVI reported the state trooper who arrived at the scene detected a “strong odor of alcohol” on the driver.
Higgins allegedly told the trooper he had consumed “five to six beers” before the fatal crash.
According to the criminal complaint, Higgins told investigators that his consumption of alcohol contributed to his impatience and reckless driving.
The trooper said Higgins failed a field sobriety test.
The Columbus Blue Jackets confirmed the sudden death of the NHL superstar with a statement that called the fatal crash an “unimaginable tragedy.”
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” the statement read. “Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice,” the Blue Jackets said.
“He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets.
“He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could.”
“The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him,” the statement continued.
“Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms.”
“We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy,” the statement concluded.
“At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”
Columbus Blue Jackets statement on the passing of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew. pic.twitter.com/V2aFykgKIs
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 30, 2024
The Columbus Dispatch reported that Gaudreau and his brother were reportedly set to be groomsmen at their sister’s wedding in Philadelphia on Friday.
The outlet cited a post on a wedding website.
Gaudreau and his brother both played hockey at Boston College.
Johnny Gaudreau joined the Blue Jackets in 2022 after nine years with the Calgary Flames.
Matthew Gaudreau also played hockey for various minor league teams.
“Johnny Hockey,” the nickname he was given in college after helping lead the Eagles to a national title in 2012, was drafted by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft.
He played nine seasons in Calgary before signing a seven-year contract with the Blue Jackets in 2022.
“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
“While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother, and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path.
“He will be remembered fondly in Calgary, where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22, emerging as one of our League’s brightest young stars while compiling the franchise’s fifth-highest career points total.
“His loss also will be felt profoundly in Columbus, the city in which he chose to settle his family and where he was one of the respected, veteran leaders of a club building toward the playoffs.
“And both Johnny and Matthew will be mourned at Boston College, where they were teammates the year Johnny won the Hobey Baker Award in 2013-14, and at Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, where both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year pro playing career.”
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