Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi has upgraded criminal charges in the drunk driving case against a Parsippany motorist accused of fatally injuring an East Hanover man on Saturday.
Vanessa E. Brown, 32, now faces a charge of aggravated manslaughter, a first-degree offense, in the death of Ralph Politi Jr. , 49.
The defendant had been charged with vehicular homicide, a second-degree offense. Municipal Judge Thomas Manahan increased her bail to $400,000, from the prior amount of $100,000, without a 10 percent cash option.
“Based upon the available investigative information as well as a through legal analysis by my staff, I have made the decision to file upgraded charges that I believe are appropriate based upon our laws,” the Prosecutor said in a statement on Monday.
The victim was struck while standing by the driver’s door of his pickup truck, parallel parked near 30 Ridgedale Ave. in East Hanover, around 1:47 pm on Saturday, by a southbound Camry driven by Vanessa Brown, according to authorities. Her vehicle continued another 60 feet before crashing into parked cars in the parking lot of an auto parts store, authorities said.
Vanessa Brown also is accused of driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain her lane, unsafe tires and driving an unregistered vehicle.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the East Hanover Police Department at (973) 887-0432, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Stoppers Program at 973-COP-CALL.
