Sean Higgins, who was charged for mowing down former NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew during a cycling trip, returned for his second court appearance on Thursday.
Last week, the Gaudreau brothers’ cycling expedition took a tragic turn when they were hit by a vehicle and died on the evening of their sister’s wedding in Salem County, New Jersey.
Being behind the wheel of the vehicle that struck the ex-pro hockey players, Higgins virtually appeared before a judge after his initial court date on August 30.
After a week behind bars, Higgins noticeably changed his look – wearing a bushy goatee, unlike the stubble he had in his mugshot.
Higgins also wore an orange scrub without the suicide vest he wore in his first court appearance.
Just seconds into his appearance, the judge postponed the hearing to determine Higgins’ pretrial conditions until September 13, with Higgins remanded into custody, per TMZ.
The Woodstown, New Jersey native is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. After the incident, Higgins was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide with no bail or bond.
Officers also allege that Higgins showed signs of being drunk and admitted to drinking ‘prior to and while operating his vehicle’.
While reeking of alcohol, Higgins is said to have told them that ‘his consumption of alcoholic beverages contributed to his impatience and reckless driving.
In documents seen by DailyMail.com, Higgins admitted to cops that he drank ‘5-6 beers’ before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashing into the back of Johnny and Matthew.
The brothers were expected to be groomsmen for their sister Katie when she and partner Devin Joyce tie the knot in a wedding that was set for Friday. The ceremony was postponed until further notice.
Johnny leaves behind his wife Meredith, whom he married in September 2021, and two young children; one-year-old daughter Noa and baby boy Johnny – born just six months ago.
Matthew, meanwhile, leaves behind his wife, Madeline, just over three years after their wedding in New Jersey. Madeline is expected to give birth to their son, Tripp, in late December.
