'He took my life away from me': 2 arraigned in death of 17-year-old Olivia Passaretti

Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal
·4 min read
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WARWICK — Dozens of supporters in green and black "Olivia's Army" T-shirts packed the Kent County Courthouse on Friday as Aramis Segura and Alicia Peckham pleaded not guilty to charges in the death of 17-year-old Olivia Passaretti.

"Today, we looked evil straight in the face," Olivia's older sister, Jacqueline, told reporters outside the courthouse.

Segura, 30, is accused of crashing into Passaretti's car and forcing it off the highway early on New Year's Day, then fleeing the scene. Peckham, 25, allegedly helped him hide from the police.

Assistant Attorney General John E. Corrigan said the fatal crash that took the East Greenwich teenager's life "would break the heart of God."

'A piece of our heart is missing': Family seeks justice for crash victim Olivia Passaretti

Peckham, dressed in a black suit and wearing pearl earrings for her first court appearance, was arraigned first. The prosecution requested surety bail of $20,000 and a waiver of extradition.

"She does have a bit of a record that we found in Texas," Corrigan explained.

Peckham's attorney, Mary Ciresi, requested that her client be released on personal recognizance. She argued that Peckham did not present a danger to the community, and that her conduct did not contribute to Passaretti's death.

Aramis Segura, 30, faces charges of driving to endanger, death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting.
Aramis Segura, 30, faces charges of driving to endanger, death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting.

Police: Suspect in crash that killed girl was found hiding under bed

Ciresi said Peckham had been "gainfully employed" for several years at Perspectives Corporation, working with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Peckham also has a second job caring for an individual with cerebral palsy, and is two courses away from finishing an online associate's degree program in business administration from the University of Phoenix, Ciresi said.

Corrigan countered that Peckham was in court because she had helped a fugitive to evade justice. "If she's willing to do that, there is a chance that she might not appear," he said.

Associate Justice Melissa E. Darigan sided with the prosecution, saying that $20,000 bail was "perfectly appropriate."

Segura, wearing a white button-down shirt and Timberland boots, stood with his hands folded as his attorney, Angela Lawless, entered a "not guilty" plea on his behalf. At a previous court appearance, Associate Judge Melissa DuBose had set surety bail of $250,000, and the prosecution and the defense agreed to maintain that same bail.

In court: Couple indicted on felony counts in crash death of 17-year-old Olivia Passaretti

Segura was indicted by a grand jury last month on charges of driving to endanger, death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting. Peckham faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting, as an aider and abettor, harboring a criminal, misprision of a felony and obstructing an officer in execution of their duty.

Segura had a lengthy rap sheet prior to the fatal New Year's Day crash. The attorney general's office filed a habitual offender notification on Friday, which means that he will serve additional time if convicted.

Passaretti's family had pushed for Segura to be charged with second-degree murder, pointing to comments that he allegedly posted to Facebook on New Year's Eve suggesting that he planned to drink and drive.

Alicia Peckham, 25, left, is accused of aiding Aramis Segura as he fled the crash and hiding him at the home they shared in Charlestown.
Alicia Peckham, 25, left, is accused of aiding Aramis Segura as he fled the crash and hiding him at the home they shared in Charlestown.

"All along we were hoping for murder charges, so we were disappointed that he wasn’t charged with murder, but we also understand why," Dennis Molloy, Olivia's stepfather, told The Providence Journal before the hearing. "Moving forward, he’s looking at 53 years total with everything put together, so we’re hoping he gets the maximum."

A crowd of friends, classmates and community members had gathered outside the courthouse before it opened, holding signs with photographs of Olivia's face and wearing T-shirts that said "#JusticeForOlivia" and "Stop Protecting Criminals."

Among them was the family of Matthew Dennison, the 17-year-old West Warwick hockey player killed in a fatal crash just weeks after Passaretti's death.

VIDEO: 'A piece of our heart is missing'

"I think the whole community is just outraged at what happened, and they want to show their support," Molloy said.

After the hearing concluded, Janine Passaretti-Molloy, Olivia's mother, broke down in sobs.

"He took my life away from me," she told reporters outside the courthouse. "He has no remorse. ... He did not care about my child."

"All he cared about was himself," Molloy agreed. "He just didn't want to get caught."

A pre-trial conference for both defendants is scheduled for Aug. 22.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Olivia Passaretti death: Aramis Segura and Alicia Peckham held on bail