Mercyhurst Hockey Player Charged After Pushing Wheelchair Down Stairs

The charges were filed after a video surfaced showing Carson Briere pushing a wheelchair down a flight of stairs at a party.

Mercyhurst University hockey player Carson Briere is facing three misdemeanor charges after a video surfaced last week that showed him pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down a flight of stairs.

Briere, the son of former NHL player and current Flyers interim general manager Danny Briere, was charged with criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy to commit mischief and disorderly conduct, per the Associated Press. Mercyhurst lacrosse player Patrick Carrozzi also faces the same three charges.

Last week, Briere and his father issued statements apologizing for the incident after the school announced it had begun an investigation into the matter.

“I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday,” Carson’s statement read. “There is no excuse for my actions, and I will do whatever I can to make up for this serious lack of judgment.”

The video that made rounds on social media shows Briere and Carrozzi chatting at the top of the stairs next to the wheelchair on March 11. Briere is shown briefly sitting in the wheelchair before pushing it down the stairs and entering a nearby room.

The owner of the wheelchair, Sydney Benes, filed a complaint noting the extensive damage to the chair, which was bought a year ago for $2,000.

Briere and Carrozzi are scheduled to appear in court on May 22. Prior to arriving at Mercyhurst, Briere was dismissed from the Arizona State hockey team in 2019 for a violation of team rules.