Gaudreau Families will divide a $ 500K agreement after the deaths of hockey Star Brothers

The families of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau will receive $ 250,000 each under the terms of a liquidation agreement reached with the insurance company for the accused man in their deaths.

Sean M. Higgins, 44, of Pleesgrove, supposedly driving while he was intoxicated When he hit and killed the NHL hockey player, Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew R. Gaudreau, 29, while progressing on a rural road at Salem County on the night of August 29. Both brothers died on the scene.

Higgins was accused in December for two first -degree aggravated homicide charges, two second -degree vehicular homicide charges, in the second degree that leaves the scene of a fatal accident and fourth grade manipulation with physical evidence.

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, and Matthew Gaudreau’s wife, Madeline, He filed separate lawsuits against Higgins in the State Superior Court last monthclaiming that it was “negligent, careless and reckless” when operating their vehicle and that their negligence caused the death of the brothers.

The agreements of the Higgins insurance company were reached, Usaa, before the demands, according to judicial documents.

Higgins accident insurance covered it for $ 500,000 per incident, which means that the farms will divide the income under the proposed distribution plans that will be ended in the civil court on Friday, according to the records.

The children of Johnny Gaudreau will receive $ 250,000 and the widow of Matthew Gaudreau and the newborn son will receive the other $ 250,000, according to the documents.

Around $ 243,949 will be placed in annuities to pay the three children of Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau when they become adults. Meredith Gaudreau announced at her husband’s funeral that she expects the third child of the coupledue to the end of this year.

The remaining $ 6,051 will be allocated to fees and lawyer expenses.

For the family of Matthew Gaudreau, his widow will receive $ 143,949, and $ 100,000 will be placed in an annuity payable to his son, who was born in December. Those payments will begin when the child becomes an adult.

As with the other agreement, the remaining $ 6,051 will be allocated to fees and lawyer expenses.

The lawyers of the Gaudreau and Higgins family did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

Johnny Gaudreau played 11 seasons at the NHL, while Matthew Gaudreau was a university hockey player and then coach. The brothers were supposed to be a wedding sponsors at their sister’s wedding, who was scheduled for the day after they were killed.

Although no amounts are specified in dollars in the civil demands presented by the widows, both demand Higgins for damages, interests, lawyers and other legal costs.

In a presentation of the court that responds to the complaints, the Higgins lawyer denied the accusations and requested the dismissal of the demands.

On the night of the accident, Higgins drove to the north on Route 551/Pennsville-Auburn Road in the municipality of Oldmans when he tried to pass vehicles in front of him, according to prosecutors.

He tried to pass a SUV on the right side and hit the Gaudreaus while riding their bicycles on the road shoulder, the researchers allege.

The drivers of the two vehicles that Higgins passed before the fatal accident described their driving as erratic and aggressive, and one said that his vehicle was partially in the grass when he hit the Gaudreaus, according to judicial documents.

His vehicle suffered a “significant damage” and bore approached approximately 1/10 of one mile later, said the prosecutor’s office.

Higgins failed a field sobriety test and was arrested on the scene, authorities said.

Higgins admitted having drunk five or six beers after finishing the job of the accident and drinking two beers while driving for two hours before the accident, according to prosecutors. Supposedly he also admitted to having tried to hide beer cans after hitting the Gaudreaus.

He allegedly told the police that his drink “contributed to his impatience and reckless driving” on the night of the accident, according to judicial documents.

The judicial presentations of the defense in the criminal case revealed that Higgins and the Gaudreau brothers All were supposedly intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Johnny Gaudreau had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.129% when he was killed, while his brother Matthew Gaudreau had a reading of 0.134%, according to the test results.

Both readings were higher than the supposed concentration of Higgins blood alcohol of 0.087%, which was above the legal limit of 0.08% for drivers.

There have been no evidence to suggest that the Gaudrea were operating their bicycles incorrectly and a witness of the accident told researchers that they did not travel on the road, according to judicial documents.

Higgins lawyers have presented motions in search of discouragement of the accusation and more details about blood alcohol tests.

In January, Higgins rejected an offer from the Prosecutor’s Office that would have sent it to prison for 35 years in exchange for a guilt declaration.

A third defense motion seeks records on other supplication offers of the Salem County that involve reckless vehicular homicide and aggravated homicide cases. They argue that the 35 -year guilt offer made to Higgins is much higher than it was offered in other local cases due to the notoriety of the Gaudreau family.

Those movements will be heard next month.