GREENFIELD — A North Adams woman will spend at least nine months in jail after pleading guilty in Greenfield District Court on Tuesday to a charge of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation in connection with a crash that killed a 66-year-old Colrain motorcyclist on Route 2 in Charlemont last year.

Melissa Repka, 39, was sentenced to 2½ years in jail, with nine months to be served and the balance suspended while she is on probation for two years for the death of Gregory Herzig. Her driver’s license will be revoked for 15 years as a result of the guilty plea.

According to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, Repka and a passenger were in a SUV that fatally struck Herzig, who was riding his motorcycle on Route 2, while pulling out of a rest area near Berkshire East Mountain Resort on April 12, 2023.

The sentence imposed by Judge William F. Mazanec III was based on a joint recommendation of Pittsfield defense attorney Alex Sohn and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington, who outlined the facts in the case and Repka’s criminal history in his arguments. According to the Escambia County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office, Repka was arrested in January 2018 and charged with two counts of grand theft and single counts of dealing in stolen property and fraud. She reportedly served about 3½ years for felony battery, being released on May 14, 2015.

Covington also read several statements from the Herzig family, who were in the courtroom on Tuesday.

“Mr. Herzig was spending this tragic day driving his motorcycle seeing family members in the local area. This was an avoidable crash,” he said. “The commonwealth hopes the sentence today brings a measure of justice to the Herzig family who were supportive of the sentence.”

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.