Vyacheslav Cherepov did not utter a word as he stood emotionless at his arraignment.
His attorney entered his not guilty plea in Stamford Supreme Court.
"Under these circumstances I think a $150,000 bond is more than appropriate," the defense said.
The 26-year-old restaurant worker from Ridgefield was driving his car in a Byram parking lot early Saturday morning, police say and is charged with striking 21-year-old Meghan Beebe who had been out with friends earlier.
But as she lay seriously injured on the ground Cherepov, police say, stopped briefly after hitting her, then suddenly began driving away, dragging the woman under his car for more than two blocks.
"That is disgusting because what about if that person belong to his family," said Mercy Llerena, a neighbor.
Reaction from neighbors like Mercy Llerena is also one of shock.
Police talked to her and other neighbors hoping someone saw something.
But it was when police spotted Cherepov's car back in the lot Sunday that they had their suspect.
"They surrounded the car immediately. They took pictures. They take fingerprints. They are looking under the car, they examined the car so well," Llerena said.
Cherepov was first charged with evading, but in court Monday an additional charge was more serious.
"And then there is the manslaughter arising from the conscious risk and the indifference to human life that he displayed. Based on that we feel that even a higher bond would be appropriate," the prosecutor said.
"I'll increase the bond to $750,000," the judge said.
Meghan Beebe was studying sociology at the University of Massachusetts.
Her father, on his Facebook page, said he could understand the accident occurring, but could not forgive the driver who left the scene.
