Matthew Petgrave, The Player who was Involved in Adam Johnson's Death, Is Asking For Donations
Matthew Petgrave fatally slashed Adam Johnson's throat in a professional hockey game last year, and now he is asking for donations to help him through trial.
Canadian professional hockey player Matthew Petgrave, facing a manslaughter charge in the UK following the death of fellow player Adam Johnson in Sheffield, England, in 2023, launched a crowdfunding appeal to help cover some of his legal costs.
Since then, Matthew Petgrave set up a CrowdJustice fund, looking to raise 300 000 Pounds by the end of the month.
The money is needed, he says, because his insurance no longer covers him and his expired U.K. visa denies him the right to work as a hockey player on bail.
The incident occurred in October 2023 during a game between the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers where Petgrave's skate blade cut Adam Johnson's neck after their collision.
It was initially reported to be a "freak accident." The next month, in November 2023, he was arrested over the incident. He describes it too as "a tragic accident," although he says that he is facing a "long and challenging" legal process.
South Yorkshire Police granted him bail until January 20, 2025. Detective Chief Inspector Benjamin Wood said the investigators since then have been painstakingly analyzing the "unprecedented circumstances" of Johnson's death.
The death of Johnson brought in wide-ranging changes in safety laws relating to the game of ice hockey.
Neck guards were made compulsory in the Elite League of the UK in which both had played and the International Ice Hockey Federation did likewise for international events.
The case has drawn widespread attention, with debates over the nature of the accident and what it says about player safety in the sport.
