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Judge Allows Higgins’ On-Scene and Post-Arrest Statements in Gaudreau Case

The decision keeps body-camera admissions in the record, strengthening prosecutors as the case moves toward a December hearing.

Overview

  • Body-camera video captured Sean Higgins saying “I hit ’em” and acknowledging he had been drinking before troopers read Miranda after a failed field sobriety test.
  • The defense argued the initial questioning required Miranda warnings and said Higgins invoked counsel when officers asked to look at his phone.
  • Prosecutors said Higgins was not in custody during roadside questioning, stopped asking about the phone, and obtained his agreement to continue talking.
  • Authorities reported a 0.087 blood-alcohol level after the Aug. 29, 2024 crash in Oldmans Township, where Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were fatally struck while bicycling.
  • Earlier rulings kept search-warrant evidence and all charges intact; Higgins faces aggravated manslaughter, reckless vehicular homicide, leaving the scene, and tampering, with the next court date on Dec. 15, 2025.