Accused man denies driving at time of fatal crash in Cobden last year

Mark Doughty, 25, who had worked as an agricultural contractor for three years at Cobrico, was due to return to Ireland just hours after he was allegedly involved in a fatal collision at Cobden.

The Warrnambool Magistrates Court was previously told the vehicle Mr Doughty was driving allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign, colliding with another vehicle, in the early hours of June 5.

A passenger, 18-year-old Irish national Max Boggs, was ejected from the car and died.

But in a contest mention hearing in the same court on Wednesday, March 15, Mr Doughty's lawyer said it was not his client who was driving at the time of the crash.

"The central issue in this case, your honour, is the identity of the driver," he said.

"By the time the police attended the collision scene, all occupants of the vehicle were out including the deceased. The accused does not admit that he was the driver.

"The prosecution says there's analysis it maintains will establish he was in the seat of the driver's position."

The matter was adjourned for a two-day contested committal hearing scheduled from July 12.

The court will hear evidence from four witnesses on that day.

In June last year, the court heard a black Holden Astra allegedly driven by Mr Doughty was heading along Hallyburtons Road when it came to the intersection with Cross Forest Road.

A 25-year-old bartender was driving a 2017 grey Holden Colorado along Cross Forest Road.

The prosecution alleged the Colorado made impact with the passenger side of the Astra when it failed to stop.

Magistrate Nunzio La Rosa said at the time that injuries suffered and damage to the Astra led the prosecution to claim Mr Doughty was the driver.

On Wednesday the court heard the defence was still waiting on a forensic report.

Mr Doughty remains on bail.