An alleged drink driver responsible for the death of one of his passengers has appeared in the High Court at Auckland more than seven months after the smash.
Papatoetoe man Hingano Anamanu Kala'uta, 22, is accused of manslaughter following the first road death of 2015, but pleaded not guilty this morning.
The car he was driving hit a lighting pole on the Southern Motorway in Auckland at 6.15am on New Year's Day.
Lavi "Lovey" Taimani, 22, died at the scene, while four of the other six passengers were also hospitalised with injuries.
As well as the manslaughter charge, Kala'uta faces four counts of drink driving causing injury.
