By James A. Kimble
jkimble@eagletribune.com
August 19, 2008 01:38 am BRENTWOOD, N.H. — A judge yesterday froze $5 million worth of assets belonging to Marie Pigaga, who faces charges she struck and killed a Danville mother outside a Haverhill car wash. The decision in Rockingham County Superior Court comes days after Pigaga, 46, dodged having her bail revoked in a Massachusetts courtroom for missing a court date in her criminal case. Pigaga is charged with motor vehicle homicide for allegedly hitting and killing Robin Young, 43, of Danville with her car outside Haffner's car wash on Route 125 in Haverhill. Young was wiping down her sport utility vehicle near the exit of the car wash on June 18, 2007, when Pigaga's 2000 Mercedes Benz SLK 230 coupe ran her down, police said. Pigaga, who works as a registered nurse, has remained free on bail since her arrest. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in February, claiming to seek "several million dollars" for the suffering of Young's husband, Roger, and her 12-year-old daughter, who witnessed the crash. Yesterday's civil attachment for $5 million can target both Pigaga's personal assets and any claim the Youngs may attempt to make against her insurance company. Pigaga and her lawyer were not in court yesterday. But other lawyers involved in the wrongful death lawsuit, including one for State Farm insurance, met behind closed doors with Superior Court Judge Kenneth McHugh. Lawyer Joseph McDowell, who is representing Young's estate, declined to comment following the meeting. McHugh's decision essentially prevents Pigaga from selling or transferring her current assets, which include a condominium on Middle Road in Plaistow, her car and rental property in New Jersey. The Plaistow condominium where she lives is assessed at $186,910, according to town records. A district court judge in Pigaga's criminal case recently tightened her travel restrictions after she did not appear for a hearing Aug. 5 in Haverhill District Court. A brief manhunt ended two days later when police found her working her night-shift job at a Haverhill nursing home. Pigaga's lawyer suggested early on that faulty brakes were to blame for the tragedy, but police said they were able to rule that out. They also tested the car's steering and acceleration system. Both were fine, police said. Police said Pigaga's car jumped a retaining wall and struck Young while her daughter was sitting inside the SUV. A trial date in the wrongful death lawsuit has been scheduled for June.
—
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.