The man appeared in the Dunedin District Court this morning charged with dangerous driving causing the death of John Taylor and failing to stop and ascertain injury after a crash.
Justice of the Peace Helen Meiklejohn granted the defendant interim name suppression.
The public gallery was filled with the man's friends and family. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until later in the week.
The crash happened when a car hit a power pole about 9pm on Friday, in Wickliffe Tce, Port Chalmers.
It was one of at least four serious crashes in the 48 hours between 8am Friday and 8am Sunday, which prompted a "firm message" to drivers from Southern police.
On Friday two others were left in critical conditions after a single-vehicle crash near Outram and a collision between a vehicle and a motorcycle near St Bathans. Early yesterday, a person was killed in a crash in Glenorchy-Routeburn Rd near Glenorchy.
A witness to the Port Chalmers fatal crash said residents had noticed the vehicle being driven recklessly in the area before it smashed into a power pole and a driver "getting out of the car bleeding" after the crash.
Wickliffe Tce resident Simon Leaning told the Otago Daily Times he and his partner ran outside to see what had happened after they heard the crash from their living room and the power went out.
The car had hit the kerb outside his house and then crashed into a power pole a few metres ahead, he said.
His neighbours had all congregated on the street and some were trying to help.
The driver was seen getting out of the car, bleeding.
One of the passengers was lying unconscious in the street and another passenger was "desperately" trying to revive him by giving him CPR, Mr Leaning said.
"He was just yelling at him going ‘wake up, I love you, wake up’."
Emergency services arrived and began treating the unconscious passenger.
Before the crash, Wickliffe Tce residents had noticed the vehicle being driven around the area recklessly, Mr Leaning said.
"In addition to the deceased, one person was seriously injured and one person sustained minor injuries," a police spokesman said on Saturday.
'Tragic weekend' on southern roads
Police described it a "tragic weekend" for crashes on southern roads.
District road policing manager Sarah Thorn urged road users to slow down, stay alert and make safe choices as traffic volumes increased across the region over the coming week.
"Our staff have been busy with several other serious injury crashes that were also attended during this period.
"There are quite simply too many crashes happening on our roads, and the consequences can be devastating."
As of yesterday, there was no update on the conditions of the people critically injured in the crashes in Outram and St Bathans.
Yesterday, emergency services were called to the scene in Glenorchy-Routeburn Rd just after 4.40am after two vehicles had collided.
"Sadly, one person died at the scene," police said.
A motorcyclist was also flown to Dunedin Hospital with severe injuries after falling from his bike, south of Dunback on SH85, about 6.25pm yesterday.
The coming days are expected to be particularly busy on southern roads, as Waitangi weekend travel combines with the annual Burt Munro Challenge motorcycle festival being held in Invercargill from Wednesday to Sunday.
