A 28-year-old Plymouth woman was arrested by Bourne police on the morning of Wednesday, March 17, in connection with the Jan. 1 hit-and-run death of 17-year-old Andrew J. Dexter Jr. of Wareham.

According to Sargent Dennis Woodside of the Bourne Police, Andrea Mastandrea voluntarily surrendered herself to Bourne police after an indictment was handed down by the Barnstable District Attorney.

Mastandrea was charged with homicide by negligent operation, leaving the scene of an accident after causing death, and operation of an uninsured vehicle.

She was arraigned at Falmouth District Court later that afternoon, where she pleaded not guilty to the charges and posted $1,000 cash bail, according to Barnstable County First Assistant District Attorney Mike Trudeau.   Mastandrea was released pending an appearance at a pretrial hearing on April 28 in Falmouth District Court.

Because leaving the scene of an accident after causing death is a felony charge, the law requires that the case be considered by a grand jury and transferred to a Superior Court.  Trudeau was unable to comment on whether or when this would occur, but said the case is "ongoing."  If found guilty of that charge, Mastandrea could face up to ten years in state prison.  The charge of homicide by negligent operation carries a possible penalty of up to 2 1/2 years in a house of corrections, while operation of an uninsured vehicle could result in a fine.

Mastandrea was considered a person of interest in the accident, which investigators said occurred in the early morning of Jan. 1, as Dexter was walking along Head of the Bay Road after leaving a New Year's Eve party sometime around 2:30 a.m.  His body was found behind a guard rail on the westbound side of Head of the Bay Road at 8:10 a.m. by a passerby.

Mastandrea's Ford Explorer was impounded by police on Jan. 6, but she refused to speak with investigators, according to media reports.