Csaba Somogyi fronts hearing in Tamworth court after passenger dies

Csaba Somogyi appeared in person in Tamworth Local Court for the start of a week-long hearing which has also seen a magistrate flown in to preside over the case.

The court heard the matter has been before the courts for more than three years, after Somogyi was charged when a man who was in the car with him during a charity rally on March 5, 2020, died when Somogyi allegedly lost control of the car on a bend at Borah Creek, between Manilla and Barraba, and struck a tree.

Somogyi faces one charge of negligent driving occasioning death, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) solicitor told the court the Crown would be relying on how fast Somogyi was allegedly driving when he took the bend to make out the negligence.

"The negligence is the speed at which the corner is struck," he said

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The court heard Somogyi had been participating in the charity rally for a number of days and had told police in an interview he was being "really really cautious" on the day of the alleged negligence due to an issue with the car at the start of the rally.

The DPP solicitor said the Crown would be calling several witnesses, including police officers, and other rally participants during the hearing.

Somogyi's defence barrister Sebastian De Brennan tendered an expert report detailing the alleged speed when the bend was taken.

Mr De Brennan said when the matter first came before the courts in 2020, it was alleged Somogyi had been driving at about 90 kilometres around the bend.

He said experts are now in agreement that the alleged speed was around 81 kilometres once other factors were taken into consideration.

He said it was "very important" to note a week after the collision, an officer involved in the investigation did the same drive, at a similar alleged speed without any incident.

The hearing will continue before magistrate Brett Shields on Tuesday.

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