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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

14yo passenger in crash that killed 19yo is 'significantly impaired': prosecutor

There are "very dire consequences still in play" for a 14-year-old passenger in a fatal crash, who has woken from a coma but remains unresponsive, a prosecutor has said.

It is alleged another boy, also aged 14, was driving a stolen car with three passengers in January, when it crashed into another vehicle killing a 19-year-old.

Prosecutor David Swan told the ACT Children's Court on Monday that one of the passengers "remains in a significantly impaired condition".

Mr Swan said the boy had woken from a coma in a hospital in Sydney but remained unresponsive with "very dire consequences still in play".

The alleged driver, who cannot be named due to his age, faces one count of culpable driving causing death, driving a stolen motor vehicle and two counts of culpable driving causing grievous bodily harm.

The boy is yet to enter pleas.

The minor was arrested about 2am on January 18, approximately two hours after it is said he drove an allegedly stolen Toyota Avalon in Belconnen through a red light.

The site of the Belconnen crash. Picture supplied

The court previously heard he and three others, a 19 year old and two other 14 year olds, were on a "joyride" when the car crashed at speed into a Toyota Hilux just before midnight.

The 19-year-old front-seat passenger, who was extricated from the heavily damaged Avalon, was taken to hospital for urgent care and surgery but was soon after pronounced dead.

The alleged offender and the Hilux passengers were not seriously injured.

On Monday, Mr Swan applied to have the alleged driver's bail revoked and argued the boy had breached conditions not to contact the one of the other passengers, who was not seriously injured in the crash.

Mr Swan alleged the two boys, who went to the same school but have been kept separate, had socialised.

The prosecutor said there "seems to be some suggestions they were discussing drugs" due to the boy's hand gestures.

Mr Swan said this was "deeply concerning" because the alleged driver was "very highly supervised" while at school.

He claimed there was a risk of the boy interfering with evidence and it was "inevitable" the two 14 year olds would discuss the crash.

The alleged driver's lawyer, Sam Lynch, said the two boys had crossed paths when one was leaving, and one entering, a wellbeing area in the school.

Mr Lynch said the alleged contact was "not any orchestrated or sinister breach" and his client was sorry.

"[It is a] significant wake up call on this occasion," Mr Lynch told the court.

The lawyer said his client denied claims the two boys had been "increasingly attempting casual contact".

Magistrate James Stewart adjourned the case to return to court to determine bail on Tuesday.

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