Long-awaited trial date set in deaths of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother
More than two years after hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were struck by a car as they rode bikes in Salem County, a judge set a trial date Friday for the driver charged with killing them. The judge also scheduled a final pre-trial conference for next month to see if the case can be resolved before the trial is set to start in January. Higgins , 45, of Pilesgrove, is accused of being drunk when he hit NHL player Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother, Matthew R. Gaudreau, 29, on a darkened rural road in Oldmans Township on Aug. Known to fans as “Johnny Hockey,” Johnny Gaudreau played 11 seasons in the NHL, first with the Calgary Flames, then the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Scoop News DeskSalem County, New Jersey · Published Updated
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In the last two years, Higgins’ attorneys have filed multiple motions to dismiss charges and bar certain evidence from trial, including their client’s statements to police. On the night the brothers were killed, Higgins was driving north on Route 551/Pennsville-Auburn Road in Oldmans around 8:15 p.m. when he tried to pass vehicles in front of him, according to prosecutors. Higgins was arrested after he failed a field sobriety test .
