Crowley worker out on bail in DWI crash

A Queens grandmother was released on $10,000 bail following charges of second degree vehicular manslaughter and operating a vehicle under the influence following a crash that killed her friend and former colleague.
Eileen Gillespie, 69, was driving her friend Margaret &#8220Peggy” Bartichek, 74, home from Congressmember Joseph Crowley's holiday office party late Tuesday, December 19, when, according to police, she drove the wrong way down 69th Street near 35th Avenue in Jackson Heights and another vehicle struck her car forcing it to slam into a parked car.
Gillespie, who according to police blew a .09 percent on a breathalyzer test, .01 percent over the legal limit, following the crash, allegedly told police she had between one and three glasses of wine at the party.
&#8220I drank wine at the Christmas party,” she allegedly told a detective from her Elmhurst General Hospital room at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. &#8220I was taking Margaret home following her directions and was going to make a u-turn the way we came. I think I swerved. The airbags went off, and I hurt my foot. Margaret wouldn't respond to me.”
Earlier that day, Gillespie refused to take a blood test at the hospital. She spent four days at Elmhurst before she was released on Friday, December 23.
When reached by cell phone, Gillespie's attorney, Christopher Renfroe, said there is a conference scheduled with the District Attorney on Friday, January 5, 2007, but refused to answer any questions pertaining to the case.
Bartichek was also taken to Elmhurst Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.
According to published reports, Bartichek's family did not blame Gillespie for her death, saying that it was a tragic accident.
Both Bartichek and Gillespie worked for Crowley, Bartichek for 18 years before her retirement earlier this year, and the two were good friends.
Crowley released a statement shortly after the incident saying that he will miss Bartichek, who was a close personal friend of his family, and who attended his wedding and the baptism of his children.
&#8220She was a strong presence in the lives of so many people she helped through her work until her retirement last year. Peggy’s friendship made her a special part of my life,” Crowley said.
A funeral mass for Bartichek took place on Saturday, December 23 at Resurrection Ascension Roman Catholic Church in Middle Village. She is survived by her sons Brian and John, her daughters-in-law Laurie and Debbie and her grandchildren, Joseph and Brian.