Son of Flyers GM charged for breaking double amputee’s wheelchair

🏒 The son of the Philadelphia Flyers' GM is now facing charges

🏒 A viral video shows him pushing the chair down a flight of stairs and laughing

🏒 The victim calls his first apology 'insincere'

A college hockey player, who is the son of Philadelphia Flyers' interim General Manager Daniel Brière, is charged with pushing a double amputee's $2,000 wheelchair down a flight of stairs, breaking it.

Surveillance video of the incident at Sullivan's in Erie, Pennsylvania on March 11 went viral on Twitter last week. It showed Mercyhurst University Men's Hockey forward Carson Brière, 23, sitting in the empty wheelchair before shoving down the stairs.

On Monday, Brière was charged with criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy to commit mischief, and disorderly conduct. He has a court hearing Wednesday. PA court records show another student-athlete seen with him, Patrick Carrozzi, is facing the same charges.

The wheelchair's owner, 22-year-old Sydney Benes, has since come forward. She lost both of her legs in a 2021 car accident, according to an Inside Edition report.

"The brake is bent, so it makes it quite a bit harder to lock," Benes said of the $2,000 chair. "The armrest is broken, and we do believe the frame is bent."

A GoFundMe for Benes raised over $8,000 before it was closed. She said on Twitter that she would donate any remaining money after getting a new wheelchair.

Victim calls apology from Carson Brière 'insincere'

Benes told Inside Edition that Brière apologized on the night of the incident but called it "quite insincere." She said that he asked, "Do I still have to go?" after apologizing when told he had to leave the bar.

After the video went viral, Brière issued another apology in a public statement, saying he was "deeply sorry."

"There is no excuse for my actions, and I will do whatever I can to make up for this serious lack of judgment.”

Brière's father Daniel Brière, a former Flyers player and current interim general manager, said in a statement he was "shocked" by his son's behavior.

READ MORE: NJ son of NHL Flyers exec hurls wheelchair down flight of stairs

“I was shocked to see Carson’s actions in the video that was shared on social media yesterday. They are inexcusable and run completely counter to our family’s values on treating people with respect. Carson is very sorry and accepts full responsibility for his behavior.”

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.com

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