The drunk driving suspect arrested in the deaths of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother is a decorated U.S. Army major who works as a financial officer at a rehabilitation center, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Shawn Higgins, 43, of Piles Grove, New Jersey, is married and has two young daughters and served with the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Kosovo, he wrote in his profile on the networking site.
He was promoted to major during his visit to the former Yugoslav republics as national leader in 2019, where he and another major They thanked their families for supporting their military careers.
Police say Higgins was allegedly drunk when he struck seven-time All-Star Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, as they were riding their bicycles the night before his sister's wedding.
According to New Jersey State Police, Higgins, 31, a left winger for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his brother Matthew, 29, were riding their bicycles on County Road 551 in Oldmans Township around 8 p.m. when Higgins struck them from behind.
According to the criminal complaint, Higgins told police he was attempting to pass two other vehicles when he struck the brothers, who were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said officers who responded to the scene of the crash detected the odor of alcohol on Higgins' breath and that the driver admitted to having consumed “five or six beers” before the accident.
Higgins was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and two counts of homicide by vehicle and ordered held until a detention hearing on Sept. 5.
Check out the NY Post's coverage of the tragic death of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau at age 31.
According to Higgins, LinkedInMost recently, he served as director of finance and operations at Gaudenzia, an addiction treatment center in Bristol, Pa. Gaudenzia officials did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Higgins also said on LinkedIn that he has served in the New Jersey Army National Guard since 2008 and is still active. The Pentagon did not respond to an email from The Washington Post.
Higgins' wife and parents could not be reached for comment.
Both brothers were star hockey players at Boston University, where they were coached by Jerry York.
Johnny Gaudreau's widow shared a touching tribute. On Saturday morning, people took to social media to send messages to the late hockey player.
“Thank you for the best years of my life,” Meredith Gaudreau wrote on Instagram, alongside a carousel of photos of her and Gaudreau over the years.
“Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been your daughter. I love you so much,” the grieving wife added.
“You were perfect and some days were incredible. I love everything about you. You are my forever. I can't wait to be with you again. I love you forever.”
