Today, HopNews had an opportunity to speak with Select Board Member Mary-Jo LaFreniere, who was candid about her OUI (Operating Under the Influence) arrest on Sunday, Dec 15. OUI refers to the criminal offense of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
According to LaFreniere, she had attended a wake for a family member on Sunday. Feeling a bit down, she stopped by TJ’s Food and Spirits in Ashland on her way home. While there, she had two Irish coffees. After leaving TJ’s, she accidentally drove over the curb and hit the guardrail near Weston Nurseries, damaging her car. She was charged with OUI after being entered as a refusal (see EDITOR note below).
LaFreniere shared that “it has been a hard couple of weeks; this was the fifth death in my family.” She had also been dealing with other difficult circumstances, adding up to what she called “a perfect storm.”
LaFreniere stated, “I fully accept this. It’s my fault entirely.” LaFreniere told police that she did not want any special treatment. She will attend tonight’s Select Board meeting, knowing that there will be comments aimed at her during the public forum. It was suggested that she could attend the meeting via ZOOM, to which she said, “Why would I do that?” She added, “I know that I’ll be judged harshly.”
EDITOR: After reviewing the police report, HopNews found that LaFreniere attempted to provide a breath sample four times but was unable to give an adequate sample, which is legally considered a refusal.
Latest articles
Catch up with a briefing of the most important and interesting stories from Hopkinton delivered to your inbox.
My God, why would you ever give out a statement at all, especially a statement like this.
I’m actually very curious why you say that. From what I can tell, Mary Jo is being extremely transparent and taking full responsibility for her actions so far. What’s your take on it?
To act like an adult and admit to your mistake.
To accept responsibility and act like an adult. Something that is lacking in 2024
Terrible article. Her personal and private life is not our privilege to know. Whether you agree with her or not, Ms. LaFreniere has done much for the Town of Hopkinton. We all make mistakes. It is absolutely mean to put this in an article.
You do not mention other people’s names in the Police Notes.
I’ll be pausing Hopnews for another 6 months.
Never talk to the cops and never incriminate yourself
While I’m happy to see this site went easy on Mary Jo, I have to remember how it lambasted another citizen running for office for their DUI. Like over and over again. What changed?
I am the new editor as of 9/1/24. I’m not sure who you are speaking of with regard to a DUI.
Susan Stevenson running for School Committee had a couple of DUI’s yrs ago. Been sober ever since. Peter seemed to take pleasure in roasting her in front of the town. I’m sure if you look in your archives you’ll see them. I do hope you are kinder than him.
I’m not certain if this is what Beth is referring to, but I believe it was regarding the last election with a school committee candidate that the HDC had put forth. After the election, when the candidate won, the information about their past DUI came out. There was concern about the vetting process of the HDC was using for candidates and what was shared with/withheld from voters ahead of the election.
This was also around the same time of the “multiple identities” poster and the fiasco associated with the news of the social media tactics used by that individual to put questionable information out there about opposition candidates.
That said, in this instance I appreciate HopNews getting the interview with Mary Jo and the transparent way Mary Jo is taking responsibility for her actions. Wish we had a lot more of that with our elected officials at all levels of government; local, state, and federal. Our country and citizenry would be better for it.
That crackpot clown who used to own this site is gone.
She did the right thing and accepted responsibility for her actions. This town is full of Karen’s that can’t mind their own business and thrive on the misery of others. This is what life is coming to in the IPhone error.
Why did she throw tjs under the bus.you don’t have to tell where your coming from.
Please submit your resignation papers promptly. Grieving is no excuse for drunk driving, many of us have been there. TJ’s is close to Hopkinton, so your judgement is now in question. Uber, Lyft, Friends, or even the Cops could have transported you. You chose to put us at risk, create property damage, offer a feeble explanation, and undermine our confidence. This does not look good for all of the children we are trying to teach to do the right thing. Set an example for them. Do the right thing so you can contemplate how this happened and how it could easily have been prevented.
Are you not human? You have never done anything in a moment of stress or grief that you have regretted? She did the right thing and admitted to doing the wrong thing. We should be happy that she is teaching we all make mistakes but we have to take accountability when we do.
Regret – lf someone had been hit by this drunken driver, would you be so defensive? If someone was killed or maimed by this drunk driver, changing lives irreparably, would you support it? Driving a car in that manner is analogous to carrying a loaded gun after a few too many. It is too dangerous for the rest of this. I am horrified you feel a simple apology and expressing regret is fine. It is not fine for an elected official, much less anyone else. I am human, I suspect you have no commons sense however. It is always a bad look to defend such egregious decisions. Amazing you said, “She did the right thing”. Just think about that for a minute.
Prohibition is the was to go.
We need to remove the about scourge of any intoxicating substances from Hopkinton.
Chris! You, Mary Jo, and all others in Hopkinton need to pledge to remove this filth from our fair town and purify the soul. Go forth and rid the cursed substances.
Mr. Rockefeller (another coward using an alias). It is you that point in print that an official’s dui is a joke to you. I Don’t Drink. I Don’t appreciate your ignorance by lumping me in with a woman who has no regard for her constituents safety. You should state who you are and share your logic, or can’t you. Stop with the verbal attacks before your brain engages please.
While Chris Sweezy’s commentary seems harsh, he makes a valid point. If you’ve been drinking, you just don’t drive. Whatever your reasons for doing so are, none of them can excuse the risk you pose to others from such a bad decision. If you must drink away from home, you have a responsibility to plan ahead for how you are going to get back home or elsewhere. Failure to do so deserves negative consequences no matter how regretful an offender may be.
I will offer one last comment. If you are unwilling to use your name, and hide behind an alias, you have no credibility with me. For all I know, and how it sounds, all of the people supporting public officials drinking and driving, as long as they say I am sorry, seem to mask their true identities. Have they no conviction, nor confidence in their statements? Seems to me if they did, the authors would proudly attach their name to their publicly stated opinions. Makes me wonder.
Chris Swezey real name still doesn’t understand the internet.
The article is interesting in that it points out that we were know Mary Jo was drinking but we don’t really know if she would have tested over the legal limit. This is a good example of how “only two drinks” can impact your driving. It also points out how any alcohol consumption during times of stress such as this can impact driving. Lack of sleep can be as dangerous or even more so than two drinks as far as impacting you driving ability. All this factors arise on the loss of a loved one so be aware when you and others get in a car.
The law that stipulates a failure to pass the breathalyzer test four times is the same as failure exists for a reason.
She was smart to refuse the breathalyzer if she was drinking but don’t go on public record saying you were drinking. Her lawyer can’t be too happy with her doing that.
Sorry for Mary-Jo’s loss. Fifth death in the family.
I also wonder why it was felt this news about her OUI should be publicized.
She is a public official, hence she chose to subject herself to public scrutiny. Also, private citizens are named and called out routinely, why not this drunk driver? It is news, the papers have a responsibility to provide checks and balances on Town Government (Fourth Column). There is also the first amendment the paper is supported by. You may not care, but most voters in town want to know about the character of who they elect. Time to step down.