Teen driver denies texting in fatal crash

A Rotorua teenager denies he was texting on his cellphone moments before a crash in which 11 people were hurt, one fatally.

The 18-year-old, who has continued name suppression, appeared in the Rotorua District Court yesterday where he is facing a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of 16-year-old John Paul College student Jesse Howe.

He is also facing 10 further counts of dangerous driving causing injury.

The charges were laid after an incident on July 17 last year in which he and 11 other teenagers were injured when the van he was driving failed to take a bend, crossed the centreline and smashed into a bank 14km south of Rotorua on State Highway 5.

The van rolled several times, throwing some unrestrained passengers out of the vehicle.

Injuries to the other occupants ranged from broken legs to a broken pelvis, a broken shoulder and a broken collarbone.

One of the girls lost all her teeth and also had severe internal injuries.

Police allege the teenager was using his cellphone to send text messages around the time of the accident.

But the teenager's lawyer, Max Simpkins, said his client would deny this allegation.

Judge James Weir remanded the teenager at large to reappear on April 18 when a date for a trial in the High Court at Rotorua would be set.

Jesse Howe's family, including one woman wearing a hooded sweatshirt saying "Jesse Howe, RIP", were also in the court.

One man in the group tried to catch the teenager's eye as Judge Weir stood him down from the dock but the boy kept his gaze fixed on the ground.

Outside the court, the group appeared distressed after they heard the matter was to go to trial, with some in tears and hugging one another.

Jesse Howe, who was the front-seat passenger, was admitted to the intensive care unit at Waikato Hospital but died 22 days later on August 8.

The defendant, who suffered serious head injuries in the accident, also had a large contingent of supporters including his parents, grandfather and New Zealand's Next Top Model contestant Daisy Sparke in court with him.

He has entered no plea to the charges.