A New Jersey judge has upheld the charges against Sean M. Higgins, the driver accused of causing the deaths of NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew on August 29, 2024. The Gaudreau brothers were struck while riding their bicycles. Higgins, 45, was indicted in December 2024 and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, each carrying a maximum penalty of 30 years. His defense argued that the blood alcohol content (BAC) evidence was misleading, claiming a test showed a BAC of .075, below the legal limit, while the prosecution maintained it was .087. Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio ruled that the evidence presented was sufficient to proceed, stating, “There is no basis to dismiss the charges.” Higgins' next court appearance is a pretrial conference set for June 16, 2025.