Upgraded Charge For Driver in Fatal NJ Crash

Prosecutors have filed upgraded charges against a northern New Jersey woman who allegedly was driving drunk when she hit and killed a pedestrian this weekend.

Vanessa Brown of Parsippany initially was charged with vehicular homicide in connection with Saturday's crash in Hanover Township.

But Morris County prosecutors announced Monday that she would now face an aggravated manslaughter charge, and her bail was raised from $100,000 to $400,000.

Authorities say the 32-year-old Brown lost control of her car and struck 49-year-old Ralph Politi Jr. of East Hanover. Politi was standing by the driver's side door of his pickup truck, which was parked in a parking space parallel to the road.

After hitting Politi, Brown's car traveled another 60 feet through a parking lot before hitting some parked cars.