An Oscar-winning screenwriter of Pulp Fiction has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol in a fatal January crash.
Roger Avary of Ojai, California, was arraigned on Friday in a court in Ventura.
Authorities say Avary's car hit a telephone pole in Ojai on January 13. The crash injured his wife and killed passenger Andreas Zini, who was visiting from Italy.
The 43-year-old Avary has apologised for the accident. His lawyer has said the writer was grief-stricken over the death.
Avary and director Quentin Tarantino won the 1995 Academy Award for writing the screenplay of Pulp Fiction. Avary also co-wrote the screenplay for last year's Beowulf.
