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Westford resident Julie Gagnon-Erickson, 45, was arraigned on June 27 in Ayer District Court, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.
She was charged with a felony for vehicular homicide while operating under the influence of alcohol in connection with a June 8 fatal crash at 2 a.m. on Interstate 495 in Westford.
Gagnon-Erickson is accused of driving at approximately 80 miles per hour in the wrong direction on the interstate highway. Several calls were made to state police reporting the incident just before Gagnon-Erickson’s automobile allegedly collided head on with the vehicle being driven by Raming Medina Cabreja, 35, of Worcester. Cabreja was pronounced dead at the scene. Gagnon-Erickson was admitted to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston with serious injuries, according to her attorney, Louis Aloise, of Worcester.
A plea of not guilty was entered by the court on Gagnon-Erickson’s behalf, Aloise said, and she was released on personal recognizance and ordered to remain under house arrest, with the exception of attending doctors appointments. Gagnon-Erickson is not allowed to consume alcohol, take un-prescribed medication, or drive. She was ordered to remain in Massachusetts, to surrender her passport and to undergo a mental health evaluation.
She is scheduled to appear in Lowell District Court on July 27 for a pre-trial hearing. However, Aloise noted, the case may be elevated to Lowell Superior Court.
“I’m anticipating she will be indicted,” Aloise said. Should that happen a later date would be assigned to the next hearing.
Aloise confirmed that Gagnon-Erickson is the owner of Endurance Pilates and Yoga located in Boston and New York City.
UPDATE – A reference to a Boston public relations firm that represented Endurance Pilates and Yoga was deleted. A representative of the firm said the contract between the two entities ended on March 1.
