Suspect in Hit-and-Run Death of 80-Year-Old Woman Pleads Not Guilty

The Pembroke, Mass. woman arrested last week on the suspicion that she was responsible for a hit-and-run that left an 80-year-old woman dead pled not guilty at her arraignment in Cambridge District Court on Friday morning.

The Cambridge Police Department had charged Ashley Monturio, 41, with leaving the scene of an accident causing a death. Police identified Monturio after spotting her license plate in surveillance video of the incident.

Monturio, who has no prior criminal record, was released without bail. She could not be reached for comment.

Cambridge Police officers found Romelia Gallardo, the octogenarian victim, in the parking lot of the Cambridge Housing Authority building in Cambridgeport around midday Thursday. Police transported her to CHA Cambridge Hospital, where she was officially pronounced dead.

Monturio was driving a white Infiniti QX 60 SUV when she struck Gallardo, who was bending over to pick something up. Gallardo also appeared to be pushing a walker.

Middlesex Assistant District Attorney Maren Schrader said Monturio drove over Gallardo “as if going over a speed bump,” the Boston Globe reported. 

According to court testimony, Monturio drove around the corner after hitting Gallardo. Then she allegedly returned to the parking lot, called 911, and told the dispatcher that Gallardo may have fallen down. Monturio also said she could not stay because she had a job interview, according to court testimony.

Monturio, who works for a pharmaceutical company, turned herself in to police Thursday night, according to prosecutors. She was arrested at the station after interviewing with officials, according to the Globe.

Monturio's lawyer Patrick Reddington told the Globe that "we are deeply saddened and very apologetic for the loss of the family. Other than that, we have to let justice play out."

Monturio is scheduled to appear again in court on Nov. 27. She has three previous accidents and three speeding tickets on her driving record — and the incident last week caused her license to be suspended as an "immediate threat," the Globe reported.

—Staff writer Isabel M. Kendall can be reached at isabel.kendall@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @IsabelMKendall.