CHARLEMONT, Mass. (WWLP) – A North Adams woman is being charged with motor vehicle homicide after striking a motorcyclist while making a U-turn on Route 2 in Charlemont.

According to Northwestern District Attorney’s Spokesperson Laurie Loisel, 38-year-old Melissa Repka pleaded not guilty in Greenfield District Court to charges of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and failure to yield right of way in connection to the death of 66-year-old Gregory Herzing of Colrain.

Troopers were called to a crash on Route 2 in Charlemont of a 2005 Harley Davidson and a rented 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee around 1:00 p.m. on April 12. A jeep with two passengers inside pulled off the eastbound lane near the Deerfield River. When the vehicle pulled back onto the roadway, it struck and killed Herzing riding his motorcycle.

An investigation by the Massachusetts State Police revealed that Repka caused the accident after she tried to do a U-turn on Route 2. There is a pretrial conference set for November 15, and Repka was ordered not to operate a motor vehicle while the case is pending.