{"id":26212,"date":"2025-04-29T23:13:25","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T23:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=26212"},"modified":"2025-04-29T23:13:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T23:13:25","slug":"no-criminal-charges-against-player-involved-in-freak-accident-that-killed-former-nhl-player-adam-johnson-at-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=26212","title":{"rendered":"No Criminal Charges Against Player Involved in \u2018Freak Accident\u2019 that Killed Former NHL Player Adam Johnson at 29"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-subheading text-utility-300\">&#8220;We have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense,&#8221; the Crown Prosecution Service said<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-article-meta-dynamic_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-article-meta-dynamic mntl-article-meta mntl-block pre-content\" data-tracking-container=\"true\">\n<div id=\"people-bylines_1-0\" class=\"comp people-bylines mntl-bylines text-utility-200\">\n<ul id=\"mntl-sc-block_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\n<li><strong>The Crown Prosecution Service said it will not \u201cbring criminal charges against a professional ice hockey player\u201d involved in the death of Adam Johnson<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Johnson died in October 2023 after sustaining a neck injury following a collision with opposing team player Matt Petgrave<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The CPS noted in a statement that there was &#8220;not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense&#8221;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_3-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">No criminal charges will be brought against the professional ice hockey player involved in the &#8220;freak accident&#8221; that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/former-nhl-player-adam-johnson-dead-29-following-game-england-8384153\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">killed fellow player Adam Johnson<\/a>, according to authorities.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_4-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_5-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">The Crown Prosecution Service, which is responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in the U.K., said in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cps.gov.uk\/yorkshire-and-humberside\/news\/no-charges-ice-hockey-player-following-death-adam-johnson\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">press release<\/a>\u00a0that it will not \u201cbring criminal charges against a professional ice hockey player\u201d involved in the death of Johnson, 29, which took place in October 2023 during a game in England.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_6-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_7-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Johnson suffered a neck injury from opposing team player Matt Petgrave\u2019s skates following a collision during the Challenge Cup match between his team, the Nottingham Panthers, and British ice hockey club Sheffield Steelers, according to reports from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport\/ice-hockey\/67252721\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">BBC<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/no-criminal-charges-over-death-of-ice-hockey-player-adam-johnson-whose-neck-was-cut-by-opponents-skate-13357920\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">Sky News<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com.au\/nhl\/story\/_\/id\/44915939\/man-arrested-2023-death-adam-johnson-face-charges\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"3\">ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_8-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_9-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">The hockey player, who previously played for the NHL&#8217;s Pittsburgh Penguins, was treated on the ice before being transported to Sheffield&#8217;s Northern General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_11-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Johnson&#8217;s team\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PanthersIHC\/status\/1718550740028039300\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">announced his death on social media<\/a>\u00a0writing on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the player died &#8220;following a freak accident&#8221; during a game against the Sheffield Steelers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_12-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_13-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image--no-theme no-theme figure-landscape figure-high-res\">\n<div class=\"figure-media\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"mntl-sc-block-image_1-0\" class=\"mntl-image mntl-image universal-image__image lazyloadwait lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/eyECt5NVeMh5X8L5ziHvV4l_3ms=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-5-ad40cc610ca147aaa0e7351268633f36.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, 4000px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/eyECt5NVeMh5X8L5ziHvV4l_3ms=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-5-ad40cc610ca147aaa0e7351268633f36.jpg 4000w\" alt=\"Floral tributes are placed for Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson, who died from a skate cut to the neck, outside the Motorpoint Arena, in Nottingham, England, Nov. 18, 2023, before a memorial ice hockey game between the Panthers and the Manchester Storm.\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" data-src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/eyECt5NVeMh5X8L5ziHvV4l_3ms=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-5-ad40cc610ca147aaa0e7351268633f36.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/eyECt5NVeMh5X8L5ziHvV4l_3ms=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-5-ad40cc610ca147aaa0e7351268633f36.jpg 4000w\" data-sizes=\"4000px\" data-expand=\"300\" data-tracking-container=\"true\" data-img-lightbox=\"true\" data-click-tracked=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-figure-caption text-utility-100 figure-article-caption\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-text\">Floral tributes are placed for Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson.<\/span>AP Photo\/Rui Vieira<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_16-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Two weeks after the incident, which took place on Oct. 28, 2023, South Yorkshire Police took a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/man-arrested-hockey-player-adam-johnson-death-released-on-bail-8402239\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">man into custody<\/a>\u00a0in connection with the incident, according to ESPN. Though police did not name the man, Petgrave admitted that he was the subject of a manslaughter investigation in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.crowdjustice.com\/case\/legal-costs-regarding-allegation-of-manslaughter\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">crowdfunding appeal\u00a0<\/a>for legal fees.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_18-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Petgrave, a native of Canada, spent 17 months on bail after his arrest in November 2023 and was re-bailed seven times amid the police investigation, according to the BBC.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/man-involved-hockey-player-death-by-skate-blade-calls-incident-tragic-accident-8766041\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">He called the incident a &#8220;tragic accident\u201d<\/a>\u00a0in his appeal.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_19-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_20-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"><strong>Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/forms.dotdashmeredith.com\/people-news-inline\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">PEOPLE&#8217;s free daily newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_21-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_22-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image--no-theme no-theme figure-landscape figure-high-res\">\n<div class=\"figure-media\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"mntl-sc-block-image_2-0\" class=\"mntl-image mntl-image universal-image__image lazyloadwait lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Rrp6c0hGLYwXBtVT0erMpMTRH9U=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-4-ab2a6079003847f396c0d467817824b2.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, 4000px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Rrp6c0hGLYwXBtVT0erMpMTRH9U=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-4-ab2a6079003847f396c0d467817824b2.jpg 4000w\" alt=\"Adam Johnson is remembered before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Anaheim Ducks at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 30, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" data-src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Rrp6c0hGLYwXBtVT0erMpMTRH9U=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-4-ab2a6079003847f396c0d467817824b2.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Rrp6c0hGLYwXBtVT0erMpMTRH9U=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-4-ab2a6079003847f396c0d467817824b2.jpg 4000w\" data-sizes=\"4000px\" data-expand=\"300\" data-tracking-container=\"true\" data-img-lightbox=\"true\" data-click-tracked=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_2-0\" class=\"comp mntl-figure-caption text-utility-100 figure-article-caption\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-text\">Adam Johnson is remembered before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Anaheim Ducks at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 30, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.<\/span>Joe Sargent\/NHLI via Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_23-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cThis was a shocking and deeply upsetting incident. The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved,\u201d Michael Quinn, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said in a statement included in the press release.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_24-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_25-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cFollowing a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense and so there will not be a prosecution,\u201d he continued. \u201cOur thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_26-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_27-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Johnson\u2019s death prompted a call for an increase in safety measures in the sport, which eventually led the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) \u2014 which governs the sport in the U.K. below the Elite League \u2014 to require all players in England to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/hockey-league-require-neck-guards-adam-johnson-death-8384902\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">wear neck guards from 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_31-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image--no-theme no-theme figure-portrait figure-high-res\">\n<div class=\"figure-media\">\n<div class=\"img-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"mntl-sc-block-image_3-0\" class=\"mntl-image mntl-image universal-image__image lazyloadwait lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Sp0uc1MHYHTOwgk3LdzkZFqiKc4=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-3-2158441644a848c382fb4e3fce725c53.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, 4000px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Sp0uc1MHYHTOwgk3LdzkZFqiKc4=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-3-2158441644a848c382fb4e3fce725c53.jpg 4000w\" alt=\" Adam Johnson of the Pittsburgh Penguins poses for his official headshot for the 2017-2018 season on September 14, 2017 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2178\" data-src=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Sp0uc1MHYHTOwgk3LdzkZFqiKc4=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-3-2158441644a848c382fb4e3fce725c53.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/Sp0uc1MHYHTOwgk3LdzkZFqiKc4=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/adam-johnson-042925-3-2158441644a848c382fb4e3fce725c53.jpg 4000w\" data-sizes=\"4000px\" data-expand=\"300\" data-tracking-container=\"true\" data-img-lightbox=\"true\" data-click-tracked=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_3-0\" class=\"comp mntl-figure-caption text-utility-100 figure-article-caption\"><span class=\"figure-article-caption-text\">Adam Johnson, September 14, 2017.<\/span>Joe Sargent\/NHLI via Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_32-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cIt is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport. Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident, but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents in the future,\u201d the EIHA said in a statement at the time.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_33-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_34-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">However, the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), which governs the U.K.\u2019s top hockey division, noted, per BBC, that it would not require neck guards, but &#8220;strongly encourage&#8221; players to wear them in light of Johnson\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_35-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_36-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Johnson, a University of Minnesota Duluth alum, played for the Penguins during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, appearing in 13 games during his NHL career. The player also spent time in the American Hockey League, as well as overseas in Sweden, Germany, and most recently in the Elite Ice Hockey League.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &#8220;We have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense,&#8221; the Crown Prosecution Service said The Crown Prosecution Service said it will &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26212"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26214,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26212\/revisions\/26214"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}