Sean Higgins - Legal Proceedings

[T-Dog]

Starting a new thread for updates about the legal proceedings for this clown so we can keep any mention of him out of the Gaudreau threads.

He made a short appearance in court today with his lawyers and his detention hearing was set over until September 13.


https://www.nj.com/salem/2024/09/dri...outputType=amp

[SilverKast]

Where's the dislike button for this guy?

[GullFoss]

The article sure paints the picture of a guy who ####ed up, knows it and is going to plea out. IMO very few people are dumb enough to admit stuff in their 40s that is going to hurt their case. Typically people only do that they're willing to accept full responsibility for their actions.

This is a tragedy where everyone loses. Very sad.

Higgins told police be consumed “5 or 6 beers” prior to the crash and admitted consuming alcohol “prior to and while operating his vehicle,” according to the affidavit of probable cause filed with his charges.

He also stated that his drinking “contributed to his impatience and reckless driving” leading up to the crash, police wrote in the affidavit.

[Calgary]

Hopefully this dirtbag gets 20 years!

[Samonadreau]

"5 or 6".... so round up to 8.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I don't know during Stampede for the parties we would say we might have a couple of drinks, resulted in having to Uber home after 10 plus.

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by Calgary

Hopefully this dirtbag gets 20 years!

I'm a cyclist so I tend to hear about these types of things.

Don't expect him to get much time. I'd guess most likely no jail time, though Johnny was famous so maybe he gets some. If this was an ordinary person it would be no jail time.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

I don't know during Stampede for the parties we would say we might have a couple of drinks, resulted in having to Uber home after 10 plus.

The important thing here is that you chose to take an Uber home. Good on ya.

[Calgary]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I'm a cyclist so I tend to hear about these types of things.

Don't expect him to get much time. I'd guess most likely no jail time, though Johnny was famous so maybe he gets some. If this was an ordinary person it would be no jail time.

From what I have read NJ doesn't fk around with these things.

[Dion]

My guess is he tries to make a plea deal to save the families from a trail.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

The article sure paints the picture of a guy who ####ed up, knows it and is going to plea out. IMO very few people are dumb enough to admit stuff in their 40s that is going to hurt their case. Typically people only do that they're willing to accept full responsibility for their actions.

This is a tragedy where everyone loses. Very sad.

If he isn't pleading guilty, he hasn't given his defence much to work with. Although based on what I've seen he was pretty clearly 100% guilty.

I just assumed he was an alcoholic at rock bottom type, but there may be more to it:

Higgins, a major in the New Jersey Army National Guard who works for a substance abuse treatment network based in Pennsylvania, failed a field sobriety test and was arrested.

His Linked is still up. His career history doesn't involve from line work. He has an MBA and was on the operational side of various recovery operations.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I'm a cyclist so I tend to hear about these types of things.

Don't expect him to get much time. I'd guess most likely no jail time, though Johnny was famous so maybe he gets some. If this was an ordinary person it would be no jail time.

Mowing over cyclists in the shoulder while you're drunk is going to get you jail time. Might be only a couple of years of actual time served depending on the circumstances, but even if these were ordinary people, he'd be going to jail.

[Ferarri]

Originally Posted by blankall

Mowing over cyclists in the shoulder while you're drunk is going to get you jail time. Might be only a couple of years of actual time served depending on the circumstances, but even if these were ordinary people, he'd be going to jail.

My guess is that the high profile nature of this case will indeed land him jail time. Unfortunately, like you said it won't be nearly long enough and most likely only a couple of years served. In an ideal world he would serve the max sentence length.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I'm a cyclist so I tend to hear about these types of things.

Don't expect him to get much time. I'd guess most likely no jail time, though Johnny was famous so maybe he gets some. If this was an ordinary person it would be no jail time.

Correct, it's unlikely he will get jail time. The social shame of being the guy that killed Johnny Hockey and his Bro will be the worst of it.

Most people are perfectly comfortable endangering cyclists and pedestrians to save some time while going about their business. "But what about that cyclist that rolled a stop sign, or that kid that just jumped out on the street," or whatever...

It's a horrible tragedy that happens to people like Johnny every few minutes in North America.

[Mathgod]

Really hope the penalty is severe. If he's given just a fine, chances seem pretty high that he will keep driving drunk and putting people in danger.

[the-rasta-masta]

On the night everything was happening I googled street viewed the area of the crash, unfortunately there is no shoulder on the road. It's always something I notice when I go down to Montana is the lack of shoulder, the road lane goes right to edge of pavement. It's something we're lucky to have here in Alberta on most highways and roads.

Unfortunately for everybody, this also sounds like road rage was involved as much as the alcohol, or perhaps because of the alcohol. My guess is after he passed the first vehicle, he saw the second vehicle in front of him go over into the middle of the road to give space to the bikers, and I'm thinking he thought that car was trying to block him from passing... Road rage is just as dangerous as the alcohol and it's frightening to watch the odd times I've seen it on Calgary roads.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by blankall

Mowing over cyclists in the shoulder while you're drunk is going to get you jail time. Might be only a couple of years of actual time served depending on the circumstances, but even if these were ordinary people, he'd be going to jail.

Quick Google:

https://globalnews.ca/news/3520368/g...e-for-drivers/

Reddit threads of the topic:
Driver who killed cyclist last year gets $2000 fine and ... Okay but the craziest thing about this article to me is " the maximum is a 50K fine and 2 years in prison." For careless driving causing ...

Man serves 14 days for hitting and killing a cyclist. - Reddit
Sep 20, 2023

£240 fine for killing a cyclist.. the judge noted the offender's ...
Jun 28, 2024

No jail time for cement truck driver convicted in death ... - Reddit
Dec 6, 2022

I guess there is this one too:
Driver sentenced to decades in prison for crash that killed two ...
Dec 12, 2023

Anyways, we'll see. But don't expect the sentence to reflect the severity of the crime.

[T-Dog]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

On the night everything was happening I googled street viewed the area of the crash, unfortunately there is no shoulder on the road. It's always something I notice when I go down to Montana is the lack of shoulder, the road lane goes right to edge of pavement. It's something we're lucky to have here in Alberta on most highways and roads.

Unfortunately for everybody, this also sounds like road rage was involved as much as the alcohol, or perhaps because of the alcohol. My guess is after he passed the first vehicle, he saw the second vehicle in front of him go over into the middle of the road to give space to the bikers, and I'm thinking he thought that car was trying to block him from passing... Road rage is just as dangerous as the alcohol and it's frightening to watch the odd times I've seen it on Calgary roads.

He admitted this in his statement to police, that he thought the second car was trying to block him from passing so he swerved around to pass on the right.

[Sylvanfan]

The fact that he did not flee immediately and gave a statement will likely result in a less than Draconian sentence.

It's not uncommon for these types to flee the scene and think they'll get away with it. My Dad and Brother got nailed by a guy running a stop sign into a turning semi truck years ago. They were lucky to survive as in the early 90's few cars had airbags a crumple zones. They were lucky my Dad's car did. This guy fled the scene...but his license plate stayed behind. It took weeks to track him down and all he could be charged with was leaving the scene of an accident. He was probably lit right up and got away with it.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Quick Google:

https://globalnews.ca/news/3520368/g...e-for-drivers/

Reddit threads of the topic:
Driver who killed cyclist last year gets $2000 fine and ... Okay but the craziest thing about this article to me is " the maximum is a 50K fine and 2 years in prison." For careless driving causing ...

Man serves 14 days for hitting and killing a cyclist. - Reddit
Sep 20, 2023

£240 fine for killing a cyclist.. the judge noted the offender's ...
Jun 28, 2024

No jail time for cement truck driver convicted in death ... - Reddit
Dec 6, 2022

I guess there is this one too:
Driver sentenced to decades in prison for crash that killed two ...
Dec 12, 2023

Anyways, we'll see. But don't expect the sentence to reflect the severity of the crime.

Two factors at play in this case though: reckless driving, and driving under the influence. Those tend to result in more serious sentencing