SALEM, N.J. — The individual charged with the tragic deaths of NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew while they were cycling on a rural New Jersey road made a brief court appearance on Tuesday. During this hearing, the judge granted prosecutors an additional 30 days to pursue formal charges connected to the brothers’ tragic accident, which occurred on August 29. This was the first occasion in which the Gaudreau family and the defendant, 44-year-old Sean M. Higgins, were present in the same courtroom, as Higgins had previously appeared via video from jail for earlier hearings.

Authorities have reported that Higgins, a Woodstown resident, was allegedly impaired on the day of the incident, having consumed five to six beers prior to driving into the brothers as they rode their bikes. He has a documented history of aggressive driving and road rage, which has raised concerns among law enforcement.

The Gaudreau brothers were killed just a day before their sister’s wedding, near their childhood home in South Jersey. The family, including their father Gus Gaudreau, chose not to speak to the media after the hearing held at the Salem County Courthouse.

According to police reports, Higgins mentioned that he had been driving for approximately two hours while engaged in a phone conversation with a friend, following a distressing interaction with his mother. A witness located in front of Higgins described his driving as aggressive and reported that as she and another vehicle slowed down to navigate around the cyclists, Higgins accelerated and swerved right, colliding with the Gaudreaus.

Higgins reportedly had a blood-alcohol concentration of .087, exceeding New Jersey’s legal limit of .08, and failed a field sobriety test conducted by police. He is currently facing preliminary charges, which include two counts of death by auto, reckless driving, and possession of an open container of alcohol while driving.

If convicted of these charges, Higgins could face up to 20 years in prison. The judge identified him as a flight risk due to the severity of the charges and ordered his continued detention until further court proceedings.

Defense attorney Matthew Portella described Higgins as a caring father to two daughters and emphasized that he made a regrettable decision that evening. Portella opted not to provide any comments following the conclusion of the hearing.

Johnny Gaudreau, affectionately known as “Johnny Hockey,” had an impressive career spanning ten seasons in the NHL, preparing to commence his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets after previously playing eight seasons with the Calgary Flames.