"Life in prison": Hockey fans react as drunk driver charged with Johnny Gaudreau's death moves to suppress 'i hit them' confessions

Over a year has passed since the accident that caused the death of NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. The crash happened on August 29, 2024, in New Jersey. Police said Sean Higgins was driving drunk when he hit the brothers as they rode their bikes. Higgins is now facing charges for their deaths.

On Wednesday, Higgins appeared in a Salem County courtroom. New Jersey State Police Sgt. Kenneth Flanegan, who was the first responder, testified about what Higgins said after the crash. He mentioned that Higgins repeatedly said,

"I hit them. I hit them."

Now, Higgins’ lawyers want to stop those statements from being used at trial. The news has caused strong reactions from hockey fans online. Many fans shared their thoughts on X after hearing about the court update.

"Life in prison," One person wrote simply. "It’s interesting to compare and contrast this with the driver of the semi that killed 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. He took responsibility, instantly, expressed contrition, and avoided a trial for all the family members and is serving his time quietly." Another fan said. "Hope this f***wit gets everything he deserves and nothing he wants" a fan wrote.

Here are some more reactions from fans to the update in Johnny Gaudreau's case:

"Need the worst possible things to happen to him INDUBITABLY," a fan wrote. "Oh boohooo, and I bet Noa, Johnny Jr, Carter, and Tripp would rather their dads be alive," another fan said, mentioning Johnny's kids. "For the few people trying to blame the Gaudreaus because they had high BAL numbers, remember a few things. While not a great idea, biking while drunk is not a crime where this happened. Also, the brothers were in the bike lane, which is where they were supposed to be. The driver hit them because he was illegally passing another car... one party here broke the law, the other didn’t." A fan explained.

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, spoke about her husband

Earlier this month, Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, spoke about life without him. Meredith welcomed their son, Carter Michael, on April 1. She said Carter looks just like his father, and that it was difficult being pregnant and giving birth without Johnny.

"I went through the entire pregnancy without him," Meredith said, per 10 TV's Nicole Shearin. "I was really nervous to give birth without him, too."

Johnny Gaudreau last played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and was known for his skill, even in Calgary. His brother Matthew was also into hockey, and the loss has deeply affected their family.

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Edited by Ankit Kumar