A TAMWORTH man will face a trial next year, accused of the dangerous-driving death of a little boy in a crash in 2018.
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The man, who is now aged in his 20s, cannot be identified for legal reasons but denied the charge in Tamworth District Court.
During the arraignment hearing, he pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death by driving in a manner dangerous.
Judge Deborah Payne formally committed the man for trial, which is listed for February next year in Tamworth District Court.
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It's expected to run for four to five days in front of a jury.
All jury trials are currently prohibited in most NSW District Courts because of COVID-19 restrictions. No date has been set for them to resume as yet.
A charge of negligent driving causing death, which is listed on a 166 certificate, was also adjourned to follow the trial.
The man is not on bail for the allegations, stemming from the December 16 crash in 2018 near Moonbi.
The young boy, aged 3, died at the crash scene on the New England Highway.
Crash investigators allege the man's ute, which was travelling south that afternoon, left the road and struck a tree.
The crash claimed the life of the boy, who was seated in the back.
The driver was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
After an extensive police probe by the Crash Investigation Unit in Tamworth, the man was charged in May last year and had his licence suspended.