College ice hockey player Carson Briere was charged with pushing a woman’s wheelchair down a flight of stairs earlier this month.
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Briere was caught on video pushing Sydney Benes’ wheelchair down a flight of stairs at a bar near Mercyhurst’s Pennsylvania campus on March 11. According to Benes’ friends, the incident occurred while she was using the restroom. Briere was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy to commit criminal mischief, according to court documents. He is scheduled to appear in court in May for a hearing. Briere previously apologized for his actions after the video went viral on social media, and his father, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere, called them “inexcusable,” as reported by TMZ.
Carson Briere (in the white hat) is the son of Danny Briere the interim GM of the Philadelphia Flyers can be seen pushing down a wheel of a disabled young student who was using the restroom. pic.twitter.com/0jEf1NniAF
— AskAubry 🦝 (@ask_aubry) March 16, 2023
Benes explained to police that she purchased the wheelchair last year for $2,000, and Briere’s stunt left the wheelchair damaged. In addition, Mercyhurst University lacrosse player Patrick Carrozzi was also charged for his alleged involvement in the incident.
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In addition, Sullivan’s Pub and Eatery banned Briere from the establishment due to his actions and manager Nate Sanders said he will involve law enforcement. He also assists Benes whenever she visits.
According to her GoFundMe, Benes is a double amputee and requires a wheelchair for mobility while she is in the process of learning how to use prosthetics.
“The woman that the chair belongs to is Sydney Benes a double amputee that needs the chair to be mobile while she is learning to use her prosthetics. She wanted to remain anonymous during this till she filed a police report for the damages to the chair. That report was filed Wednesday morning and has since made her identity known.”
In the photo attached is @_legless_wonder Sydney Benes.She is a good friend and a regular at the bar I work at Sullivans Pub in Erie PA.I’m sorry I couldn’t say that earlier with risk of outing Sydney until she was ready to come public.We have updated the gofundme with more info! pic.twitter.com/kiaLPMvf2G
— julia (@juliazukowski) March 16, 2023
I would like to clarify that I’m using the GoFundMe donations to help fix my chair but all the rest is going to the disabled community and to people who really need the help ❤️
— Sydney (@_legless_wonder) March 16, 2023
After the video went viral, social media users criticized Briere for throwing the wheelchair.
Look at how crowded it was in there. Her friends probably carried her to a seating area so she could join them. The chair was not bothering anyone. It was most likely locked in place as well. He had no business sitting in it either before throwing it down the stairs.
— Lizzette Licea (@SWAK1774) March 16, 2023
It is not a ‘minor mistake’, he‘s 23, cruel in a casual way and destroyed a very expensive piece of someone’s crucial mobility. Let him figure that shit out for himself. Let’s support the person who was victimized here.
— Dileep Rao🇺🇦 (@leepers500) March 15, 2023