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NHL Player Johnny Gaudreau Killed In Road Accident In New Jersey, Brother Matthew Also Dies

The American professional Ice Hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed in a collision on a rural road in Oldsman Township on Thursday night

(AP Photo/Aaron Doster, File)

The American ice hockey star Johnny Gaudreau, one of the brightest talents in the National Hockey League (NHL), will no longer shine as his star has been extinguished. A car accident in New Jersey on the night of Thursday, August 29 claimed the lives of Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. (More Sports News)

Entire sports world is reeling from the shocking news of 'Gaudreau Brother's' death. The 31-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets player was riding on a bicycle around 8:19 p.m. with his 29-year-old brother on a rural road in Oldsman Township when a drunk driver, Sean Higgins, 43, in a Jeep Grand Cherokee collided with them.

A tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau is seen before a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Philadelphia.
A tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau is seen before a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Philadelphia. Matt Slocum

The New Jersey State Police have arrested the driver responsible, who is now charged with vehicular homicide. He is being held at the Salem County Correctional Facility.

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew,” said his team Blue Jackets via social media.

In a statement at the court, Sean Higgins, admitted that he had consumed five to six beers before the accident.

Speaking of Matthew Gaudreau, who too took the last breathe on Thursday night, he was also a professional American ice hockey player and had previously played for the Reading Royals in Pennsylvania.

FILE - Quinnipiac goalie Michael Garteig (34) makes the save on a shot by Boston College forward Matthew Gaudreau (21) during the first period of an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal NCAA college hockey game Thursday, April 7, 2016, in Tampa, Fla.
FILE - Quinnipiac goalie Michael Garteig (34) makes the save on a shot by Boston College forward Matthew Gaudreau (21) during the first period of an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal NCAA college hockey game Thursday, April 7, 2016, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

Adding to the heartbreak, there is an even more sad detail for fans. The Gaudreau brothers were in New Jersey to attend their sister’s wedding, which was set to take place on Friday in Philadelphia. They were to serve as groomsmen, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

In his NHL career, the Blue Jackets star had achieved a remarkable milestone, scoring 243 goals over the span of 11 years.

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