The driving force charged with killing NHL hockey participant Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, as they cycled on a rural New Jersey highway, pleaded not responsible to the indictment Tuesday after turning down a prosecution supply of 35 years in jail.
44-year-old Sean M. Higgins, appeared briefly in courtroom in Salem County, New Jersey, and entered a proper plea to the current indictment within the Aug. 29 deaths.
The case will now transfer towards trial.
Police say Higgins, of Woodstown, New Jersey, had a historical past of highway rage and was impaired that day after consuming 5 – 6 beers.
He stated he had been driving round for 2 hours, typically speaking by cellphone with a good friend, after an upsetting dialog along with his mom.
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31-year-old Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, 29-year-old Matthew Gaudreau, have been killed close to their childhood dwelling in South Jersey on the eve of their sister’s marriage ceremony.
A driver in entrance of Higgins informed police that he had been driving aggressively.
When she and one other driver slowed down and moved left to go across the cyclists, Higgins sped up and veered proper, placing the Gaudreaus, she stated.
Higgins had a blood-alcohol degree of .087, which is above the state’s .08 authorized restrict, and failed a discipline sobriety take a look at, police stated.
He’s being held on prices that embrace two counts every of aggravated manslaughter and vehicular murder, together with proof tampering and leaving the scene of an accident.
Protection lawyer Matthew Portella has referred to as Higgins a loving father and a superb one who “made a horrible choice that evening.”
Each Portella and county prosecutors confirmed the phrases of the proposed deal.
Johnny Gaudreau, whose nickname was “Johnny Hockey,” performed 10 full seasons within the NHL and was set to start out his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
He performed his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames.
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