A teenager has faced court for the first time charged with causing the death of a passenger during a crash at Lake Macquarie last month.
The boy, who was 17 at the time of the incident and cannot be identified, faced children's court at Broadmeadow on Monday on one count each of dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death.
The now 18-year-old was charged on Saturday over the crash on Freemans Drive at Cooranbong, which took place about 12.15am on April 14.
He was allegedly behind the wheel of a car travelling northbound that hit a parked SUV on the side of the road.
His passenger, an 18-year-old man who was in the front seat, died at the scene.
The occupant of the SUV - a 43-year-old man - suffered minor injuries.
Emergency crews freed the young driver from the wreck and he was taken to John Hunter Hospital.
The charges at the weekend came after the Hunter Crash Investigation Unit took over the matter.
The driver remains on bail and will face court again July 8.
