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Who is Sean Higgins, the alleged driver who hit Johnny Gaudreau?
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Who is Sean Higgins, the alleged driver who hit Johnny Gaudreau?

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Former Calgary Flames player Johnny Gaudreau was fatally struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle with his brother Matthew in New Jersey on Thursday. His brother was also killed in the crash.

Police identified the suspect as 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins. He was arrested and charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, Sportsnet reported. Officials released his photo Friday.

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He was taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility, Sportsnet reported.

Higgins appeared virtually in court in Salem County on Friday and was ordered to remain in custody until his next hearing on Sept. 5, the New York Post reported.

During the proceedings, he asked Judge Michael J. Silvanio, “So…I’m here until Thursday?” the New York Post reported. Because of the long weekend, the regular 72-hour waiting period had been extended, the judge said.

Police suspected he was under the influence of alcohol.

Higgins allegedly told an officer who arrived on the scene that he had consumed five or six beers before the crash and that he had consumed alcohol while driving, according to the criminal complaint, which was obtained by The Associated Press. The complaint also said that Higgins failed a field sobriety test, according to the AP.

According to authorities, Higgins was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The fatal crash occurred around 8:19 p.m. Thursday as the vehicle was traveling northbound on County Road 551, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The Jeep attempted to avoid a “slow-moving sedan and SUV,” the Dispatch said, and ended up in the southbound lanes.

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The Jeep pulled in front of the sedan and “attempted to re-enter the northbound lane when the SUV in front of it pulled into the center of the roadway, splitting the north and southbound lanes to safely pass the Gaudreau brothers who were driving north on the right side of the roadway.”

The Jeep struck the Gaudreau brothers as they attempted to pass the SUV on the right, the Dispatch reported.

The brothers were scheduled to attend their sister’s wedding, which was scheduled for Friday, People magazine reported. A source told TMZ that the wedding was canceled following news of their deaths.

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