KEY POINTS:
Three people have appeared in court after a fatal Auckland motorway crash involving naval ratings.
Mathew Henare Smith, 19, is charged with careless driving causing death and injury, Moana James Buchanan, 19, is charged with aiming a firearm without lawful and sufficient purpose, and Terina Donelle Toia, 20, is charged with failing to render assistance. Toia pleaded not guilty. Smith and Buchanan entered no plea.
The charges follow a collision between a ute and a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the Northwestern Motorway in January.
The accused were all Navy ratings at the time of the incident, although one has since quit.
Police allege they were among eight sailors returning to the city centre in the two vehicles after visiting a friend in West Auckland.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash near the Pt Chevalier off-ramp on January 26.
Michael Williams, an 18-year-old front-seat passenger in the ute was found dead at the scene. Two others suffered minor injuries.
Navy spokesman Commander Dean McDougall said last month that officers had received a full briefing from police and were backing the two remaining sailors.
Buchanan, Toia and Smith will reappear next month.
