A witness who was driving a car in front of the 44-year-old man has told the police about how the fatal accident occurred on August 29 this year.
She and a preceding vehicle slowed down and steered to the left to drive around the cycling brothers Gaudreau. The 44-year-old man, however, accelerated in his car, turned right, and ran over the brothers.
During the trial in the Salem, New Jersey court, it emerged that the 44-year-old had previously driven aggressively and recklessly. He had 0.87 per mille of alcohol in his blood when he was arrested. In police questioning, he admitted to having drunk five or six beers during the day in question and to having drunk while driving.
The man is suspected of, among other things, two counts of manslaughter, reckless driving, and drunk driving. He risks up to 20 years in prison.
The 31-year-old Johnny Gaudreau, who played for Columbus and Calgary, was called "Johnny Hockey" and was one of the NHL's biggest stars. His brother Matthew Gaudreau, 29, was also a hockey player, but never reached the NHL. He played 12 matches for Tyringe in the Hockey One league during the 2020-2021 pandemic season.
The brothers were killed the evening before their sister Katie was to get married. In connection with the funeral in September, Johnny Gaudreau's widow Meredith revealed that she is expecting the couple's third child.
