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Suspect in Johnny Gaudreau case breaks down in court as Blood Alcohol level exposed and bail denied

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Daniel Lucente
September 13, 2024  (12:34)
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Sean Higgins mugshot
Photo credit: Yahoo

New reports have surfaced that reveal just exactly how much alcohol was in the blood of Sean Higgins the moment he murdered the Gaudreau brothers.

43-year-old Sean Higgins, a New Jersey native, has been charged with two counts of death by auto and other traffic violations for murdering Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

Judge Michael Silvanio cited "significant concerns" for Higgins' release, sending him back to jail. New Jersey doesn't have a cash bail system, and the charges are serious enough.

Prosecutors revealed new evidence, including Higgins' blood alcohol level at 0.087, just above the legal limit of 0.08. They said Higgins was speeding, and that witnesses described him driving faster than two other vehicles on that road. One of those drivers had swerved to miss the brothers but gestured that Higgins revved his car around them, leading to the fatal crash. Both brothers died at the scene due to their injuries.

"He is simply angry at the speed of the two vehicles in front of him," Flynn said.

At a hearing, further testimony about what led up to the crash came from Sean Higgins. Prosecutor Jonathan Flynn said Higgins had told state troopers that he "didn't even see the bikes" before later acknowledging he was the operator who struck Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

"His operation was so impaired he didn't even see these two young men," Silvanio said. "Due to his impatience. In his statement himself, he said he has issues with impatience on the roadway."

Flynn also said investigators had been told by Higgins' wife that he had a recent history of drinking while working from home. On the day he caused the crash, after finishing work around 3 p.m., Higgins started drinking at his home. His wife said he became upset after he received a call from a relative. Upset, Higgins left the house in his Jeep Grand Cherokee and spent the next two hours driving around and talking on the phone with a friend.

"He told the troopers everything that happened," Portella said. "He just took the lives of two people and upended families ... The fact that he was suicidal, we understand that. He's no longer suicidal."

- Michael Portella, Sean Higgins' attorney

That new piece of information underlines, even more, the disturbing factors that led to the tragic incident and reinforces the prosecution's case against Higgins by underlining in bold those red flags related to his behavior and mental state at the moment of the crash.

Source: The Columbus DispatchDriver in crash that killed Johnny, Matthew Gaudreau had blood alcohol level of 0.087

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Suspect in Johnny Gaudreau case breaks down in court as Blood Alcohol level exposed and bail denied

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