Carson Briere, the son of Philadelphia Flyers general manager and former NHL player Daniel Briere, has been placed on probation after an incident at a Pennsylvania bar in March. Briere, along with fellow Mercyhurst University athlete Patrick Carrozzi, was involved in pushing a woman’s wheelchair down the stairs. The Erie County District Attorney’s Office and Judge John J. Mead approved their applications for accelerated rehabilitative disposition, a first-time, non-violent offenders program. The two students, Briere, a hockey player, and Carrozzi, a lacrosse team member, will undergo 15 months of probation. Their second-degree misdemeanor criminal mischief charges are expected to be dismissed and expunged upon successful completion of the program.
A video of the incident, where the wheelchair belonged to Sydney Benes, who lost her legs in a 2021 car crash, went viral, drawing widespread attention. Benes, who needed assistance to use the restroom at Sullivan’s Irish Pub, expressed her hope that the incident was accidental rather than intentional. The head security guard later had one of the individuals involved apologize to her, but she found the apology insincere.
Briere’s attorney informed the judge that his client underwent counseling, volunteered for a disabled veterans hockey club, and attempted to cover the damages to Benes’ wheelchair. In March, Briere issued a statement expressing deep regret for his behavior and a commitment to making amends for his serious lapse in judgment. Following the incident, Mercyhurst suspended and later dismissed Briere indefinitely. Online records indicate that he is currently playing for Neuilly-sur-Marne in France. Additionally, Briere had previously faced dismissal from the Arizona State hockey team in 2019 for violating undisclosed team rules.
