Michael Garry Suckling is facing 20 charges, including culpable driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing serious injury, driving unlicensed, failing to stop or render assistance after a crash, reckless driving, careless driving, and driving without an interlock device.

Among his other charges, he is also accused of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.132, speeding at 29 km/h above the speed limit, and driving while impaired by a drug, with cannabis, methadone and prescription medications allegedly detected in his blood.

He appeared in Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for a committal hearing, at which Magistrate Patrick Southey determined there was sufficient evidence for him to stand trial.

Kenneth Butler, 39, died when the car in which he was travelling struck a pole on the corner of Forest and Urquhart streets on the afternoon of January 6, 2018.

The two surviving passengers, Damien Barrett and Nathan Mitz, were called as witnesses on Thursday.

Mr Barrett and Mr Mitz gave evidence that Mr Barrett and Mr Suckling visited Mr Mitz at home on the morning of January 6 and the three men then drove to Castlemaine railway station.

Mr Barrett said he could not say whether Mr Suckling was drinking at the train station as he was, but Mr Mitz said he was drinking beer.

The court heard the three men visited the Cumberland Hotel for drinks before visiting a bottle shop and returning to Mr Barrett’s and Mr Suckling’s house, where they continued to drink in the kitchen.

Both Mr Barrett and Mr Mitz said in questioning that Mr Suckling left the kitchen to do something else and they began smoking marijuana.

Mr Mitz disagreed with Mr Kenny’s suggestion that Mr Suckling did not participate, saying he had shared the joint.

The court heard Mr Suckling became agitated and threw a shovel through the laundry window, which struck Mr Barrett’s leg and caused an injury that was believed to require medical attention.

Mr Suckling was driving Mr Barrett to hospital from their Montgomery Street address, the court heard, when they stopped to let the late Mr Butler into the car on Duke Street.

The court heard Mr Barrett said in his statement that Mr Suckling was speeding and overtaking on the road, and nearly had a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Mr Barrett told the court he was “terrified”, but rejected Mr Kenny’s suggestion that he reached out and grabbed the steering wheel shortly before the crash.

Under questioning from Mr Kenny, Mr Mitz said he did not see Mr Barrett touch the wheel immediately before the car began to slide.

He said the speedometer read 140 km/h just before the crash.

The court also heard evidence from detectives from the Collision Reconstruction and Mechanical Investigation Unit and the Major Crash Investigation Unit.

Mr Suckling was supported in court by his mother and sister.

Mr Butler’s partner was also in court.

The matter will next be heard at a directions hearing in the Bendigo County Court next month.

Mr Suckling was remanded in custody.

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