Singer-Actress Brandy, Driver Sue Each Other Over Deadly Los Angeles Freeway Crash

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Brandy and a man who was hurt in a deadly freeway crash involving her Range Rover are suing each other. <br/><br/>Brandy, whose real name is Brandy Norwood, and Mallory Ham of Simi Valley

Tuesday, May 29th 2007, 5:53 pm

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Brandy and a man who was hurt in a deadly freeway crash involving her Range Rover are suing each other.

Brandy, whose real name is Brandy Norwood, and Mallory Ham of Simi Valley accuse each other of negligence in lawsuits filed last week in Superior Court.

In court papers filed Wednesday, the 28-year-old singer-actress contends that Ham caused the Dec. 30 crash on the San Diego Freeway in Sherman Oaks. She also denies allegations made against her in a previous lawsuit, asserts her Fifth Amendment privileges against self-incrimination and requests a jury trial.

Ham's lawsuit, filed Friday, contends Brandy drove recklessly and seeks unspecified damages.

Brandy had no immediate comment on the lawsuit.

``She's just responding to pieces of litigation as they come in and doesn't want to comment at this time,'' Edwin McPherson, an attorney representing Brandy, said Tuesday.

A California Highway Patrol report said Brandy's 2007 Range Rover failed to slow in traffic and was doing 65 mph when it struck another car that in turn was hit by Ham's vehicle.

The crash killed Awatef Aboudihaj, 38, of Los Angeles. Her husband has sued both Brandy and Ham for reckless driving. Aboudihaj's parents and her two children also have separate lawsuits pending against Brandy.

The city attorney's office is still deciding whether to charge Brandy with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, spokesman Frank Mateljan said Tuesday.

If charged and convicted, she could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.