Johnny Gaudreau, brother Matthew hit and killed by suspected drunk driver in South Jersey

A professional hockey player and his brother, both with ties to South Jersey, have died after being struck by a suspected drunk driver while bicycling, police said.

Johnny Gaudreau , perhaps better known as "Johnny Hockey," and his brother Matthew were hit around 8:30 p.m. Aug. 29 on a Salem County highway, according to New Jersey State Police.

The driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins of Woodstown, was charged with two counts of death by auto. He was being held pending a pretrial detention hearing.

Higgins told police he had consumed five or six beers before the accident, according to a probable cause statement.

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The accident occurred around 8:20 p.m. Thursday on County Route 551 in Oldmans Township, police said.

The brothers lived in Salem County at the time of the accident.

Johnny Gaudreau, a 31-year-old married father of two, was a Carneys Point resident. His 29-year-old brother lived in the Pedricktown section of Oldmans Township.

Johnny Gaudreau was a hockey star at Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City. He graduated from the high school in 2011 and was inducted into its hall of fame earlier this year.

The winger was a fourth-round pick for the Calgary Flames in the NHL's 2011 draft. He played nine seasons with Calgary before signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.

A seven-time NHL All Star, Gaudreau played 763 games as a pro, scoring 243 goals and making 500 assists, according to the league's website.

Both of the NHL teams posted memorials to Gaudreau at their websites Friday.

"Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary," said a tribute from the Flames.

"He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community," the organization added. "... The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meredith, children Noa and Johnny, parents Jane and Guy, sisters Kristen and Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense."

In its tribute, the Blue Jackets organization said Gaudreau "played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice.

"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."

Matthew Gaudreau, who also attended Boston College, played for several years in the American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League.

Higgins struck the brothers while trying to pass a sedan and an SUV on northbound Pennsville Auburn Road, also known as County Route 551, near Stumpy Lane in Oldmans Township.

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According to the probable cause statement, Higgins said he had passed the sedan when the SUV in front of him pulled to the center of the road as it passed the bicyclists.

Higgins said he thought the SUV's maneuver "was a counter action to prevent him from passing," the statement said. He then tried to pass the SUV on the right, striking the Gaudreau brothers on the narrow shoulder.

Witnesses said Higgins' vehicle appeared to be traveling at "a high rate of speed" on the two-lane road in a rural area.

In comments to police, Higgins "explicitly stated to the effect that his consumption of alcoholic beverages contributed to his impatience and reckless driving," the probable cause statement said.

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On Friday, Superior Court Judge Silvanio ordered Higgins to remain in Salem County Jail, pending a Sept. 5 hearing.

The ruling came after Salem County Assistant Prosecutor Brooke Harley requested Higgins' continued confinement.

Higgins, represented by Public Defender Cody Dooley at Friday's hearing, told the judge he intends to hire his own attorney. Dooley advised Higgins not to speak to anyone at jail about his case and to remember all jail calls are recorded.

Higgins was charged with seven offenses in municipal court, including driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, consuming alcoholic beverage or cannabis in a motor vehicle, and reckless driving.

He is also accused of multiple driving violations.

The charges against Higgins are only accusation. Higgins has not been convicted in the case.

The crash remains an active investigation, and no additional information is available.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Johnny Gaudreau, brother Matthew hit and killed by suspected drunk driver in South Jersey