Five youths charged over fatal crash

A high-speed three-car crash which left one teenager dead in South Otago last year has resulted in five youths facing a total of 35 charges.

Twelve teenagers were left strewn across State Highway 1 in the middle of the night on December 9.

Four Milton teenagers and a Dunedin youth appeared in Balclutha District Court yesterday and faced a total of 35 charges relating to the crash.

They were remanded on bail without plea to reappear on June 20, when a date will be set for a depositions hearing.

Hiwi Abraham Birch, 18, freezing worker, and Jaden Rhys Carr, 18, unemployed, each face a charge of the manslaughter of 19-year-old building apprentice Regan Devlin, who was killed in the smash.

Bradley Dean Taylor, 18, unemployed, of Milton, and Jamie Lee Terry Carter, 19, are charged with being a party to manslaughter, while Ryan Lewis Higgins (20), of Dunedin has been charged with careless and dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Devlin.

All five also face additional charges including dangerous driving, causing injury, and drink driving. They were granted bail with strict conditions.

- NZPA