Thursday, 4:30 PM
Drunk driving suspect assaulted outside court, victim's uncle arrested
By Ted Flannagan, Globe correspondent
WESTBOROUGH – A woman charged in a fatal September car accident that killed a Suffolk University student was allegedly attacked yesterday on the steps of Westborough District Court by the victim's uncle, authorities said.
Alison Voorhis, 47, of Hopkinton, was knocked down by a single blow to the head after stepping out of a grey Jeep Grand Cherokee just after 9 a.m, witnesses told police. She was on her way to a pre-trial hearing.
Court officers arrested Achilles Athansiou moments after the attack. He was charged with assault and battery, and was released several hours after the attack. He is due back in court on Jan. 24.
"I don't think this was an emotional, spur of the moment thing," said Voorhis attorney, Angelo P. Catanzaro. "I think that this was premeditated, that someone was going to assault Ms. Voorhis. He (Athansiou) was determined to get to her."
Catanzaro said he saw Athansiou strike Voorhis once in the face.
Athansiou's nephew, Evagelos Pashos, 21, of Shrewsbury, was killed Sept. 24 when his 2001 Audi was allegedly hit head on by Voorhis' rented 2006 Kia Optima at the intersection of Route 9 and Otis Street in Northborough.
Police arrested Voorhis on a variety of charges, including negligent motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol.
Pashos' family has vowed to protest all Voorhis' court appearances. Today, 18 family members lined the driveway of the courthouse carrying signs calling Voorhis a murderer and demanding a stiff sentence.
Lina Pashos, 18, grasped in court a poster bearing a photograph of her dead brother, where several family members yelled "murderer" when Voorhis left the brief hearing yesterday.
Voorhis is due back in court on Jan. 10.
