Charges Upgraded to Manslaughter For Alleged Drunk Driver in Rt. 15 Fatal Crash

SPARTA – The North Jersey woman charged with vehicular homicide after allegedly drunk driving and fatally crashing into a Morris County man has had her charges upgraded to aggravated manslaughter.

The driver, 50-year-old Teresa Verbout, of Sparta, was driving more than 75 miles-per-hour on Route 15, and had a blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .08-percent, the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office said.

The upgraded charges come with $500,000 bail and no 10-percent option.

See related: Morris County Man, 22, Killed In Crash; Driver Charged With Vehicular Homicide: Cops

The crash occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 11:06 p.m. when Cpl. Adam Carbery was traveling south on Route 15 when he saw a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling the wrong way northbound in his lane of travel, Sgt. Dennis Proctor said.

Carbery took “evasive action” to avoid being struck by the driver, and immediately turned around to follow the Jeep, Proctor said. The Jeep then continued northbound in the southbound lanes and before any Sparta Township patrol officers were able to catch up to the driver, it struck a 1998 Toyota Corolla head-on, Proctor said.

See related: Man, 22, Killed By Drunk Driver Remembered Lovingly As ‘Bear’

The driver of the Jeep was identified as Verbout, and she suffered serious injuries to her lower extremities and was flown to Morristown Medical Center, Proctor said.

The driver of the other vehicle was identified as Robert Hunter III, 22, of Flanders, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Proctor said.