Mestern countered that evidence, including witness testimonies and physical exhibits, supported the validity of the indictment.

During a court hearing on April 15, 2025, prosecutors claimed that Higgins solicited help from friends to hide alcohol after the crash.

The defense also contended that the grand jury was not informed of possible contributory negligence from the brothers, but this argument was dismissed by the judge.

In December 2024, a grand jury issued an indictment against Sean Higgins, encompassing six charges related to a fatal crash that occurred in August 2024, when the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a New Jersey road.

The crash resulted in severe damage to both the brothers' bicycles and Higgins' Jeep, with autopsy reports confirming that the cause of death was blunt force injuries from the accident.

Higgins, a 44-year-old native of Woodstown, N.J., reportedly admitted to consuming 'five or six Miller Lites' before driving, raising concerns about his level of intoxication.

Assistant Prosecutor Michael Mestern highlighted that Higgins failed to call 911 after the accident and attempted to dispose of alcoholic beverages from his vehicle before police arrived.

The defense argues that the Gaudreau brothers were cycling impaired, with blood-alcohol levels of .129 or higher, exceeding New Jersey's legal limit of .08.

While Higgins' defense claimed he was unaware of the collision, prosecutors refuted this by citing the significant damage to his vehicle as evidence that he knew something had occurred.

The families of the Gaudreau brothers expressed their emotional distress during the proceedings, particularly as the defense sought to mitigate Higgins' charges by mentioning the brothers' drinking.

The next court hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2025, after the indictment was deemed sound by both the prosecution and the judge.

Defense attorney Matthew Portella argued that the prosecution failed to demonstrate that Higgins showed extreme indifference to human life, noting that he stopped after the crash and was just over the legal intoxication limit.