NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed on the eve of their sister's wedding when they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey, police said Friday.
Gaudreau, 31, and brother, Matthew, 29, are Carneys Point, N.J., natives and were scheduled to be groomsmen at their sister Katie's wedding that was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
New Jersey State police said the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He was jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press, Higgins told a responding officer he had five or six beers prior to the accident and admitted to consuming alcohol while driving. He failed a field sobriety test. His blood alcohol level was not immediately available.
A hockey star, his brother, killed on the eve of their sister's wedding. j..f..c
