Michael Garry Suckling pleaded guilty in the County Court in Bendigo on Tuesday to culpable driving causing death, failing to stop and render assistance at the scene of a crash, negligently causing serious injury and reckless conduct endangering life.

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Suckling was behind the wheel of a car that slammed into a power pole at the corner of Forest and Urquhart streets in central Castlemaine on the afternoon of January 6 last year.

One of his passengers, 39-year-old Kenneth Butler, was killed in the crash.

The two other people in the vehicle were injured but survived.

During Tuesday's arraignment the court heard Suckling crossed onto the wrong side of the road, on a bend, as oncoming traffic approached.

Suckling will return to the County Court in Bendigo later this year for a further plea hearing and sentencing.

He was remanded in custody to that date.

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