New Hampshire

Plaistow woman faces wrongful death lawsuit in fatal crash

By James A. Kimble
Staff writer
Published: March 12, 2008

BRENTWOOD — A Plaistow woman charged with killing a Danville mother with her car last year is now facing a wrongful death lawsuit for causing the crash.

Roger Young of Danville filed suit in Rockingham County Superior Court last week, seeking a judge's permission to attach property and assets owned by Marie Pigaga, 46, of 8 Middle Road, Plaistow. Pigaga is charged with motor vehicle homicide in Haverhill, Mass., for running down Young's wife, Robin, on June 18.

The lawsuit seeks "several million dollars" for causing suffering to the Young family, according to Roger Young's lawyer, Joseph McDowell of Manchester. No exact dollar amount was cited in the court documents.

"It's a real tragedy," McDowell said. "She left behind a son and daughter. They're all having a hard time getting along without her."

The crash happened at Haffner's carwash on the Haverhill/Plaistow line.

Young, 43, had gotten out of her sport utility vehicle near the exit of the carwash to wipe it down. Pigaga claimed the brakes on her 2000 Mercedes Benz SLK 230 coupe didn't work. Police said the Mercedes jumped a retaining wall and struck Young. Young's 12-year-old daughter was sitting in the SUV and witnessed the crash.

After inspecting Pigaga's car, authorities said there was nothing wrong with the vehicle's brakes, steering or acceleration system.

Pigaga's lawyer, Lee Graham of Haverhill, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The civil lawsuit was filed in New Hampshire because both the Young family and Pigaga live there, McDowell said.

If the request for an attachment is granted, ownership of Pigaga's condominium in Plaistow and rental property she owns in New Jersey could be frozen until the court case is resolved. Town records assess Pigaga's condo at $186,910.

McDowell acknowledged that the civil lawsuit could be slowed by Pigaga's criminal case.

"She has the right to assert the Fifth Amendment, but we decided to move forward," he said.

McDowell said the civil lawsuit was filed about a week ago. Pigaga's lawyers have not filed a response yet.

Pigaga is still fighting the criminal case in Massachusetts. She faces the possibility of up to 21/2 years in jail if she is convicted.