Teenager admits death crash charges

A teenage driver has admitted causing the death of another motorist in a head-on crash near the Devon/Cornwall border.

Adam Garthwaite sobbed throughout a ten-minute hearing at Exeter Crown Court, in which he pleaded guilty to causing the death of Paul Garcia by careless driving.

Mr Garcia, aged 38, from Launceston, died in hospital from injuries he received in a head-on crash on the A388 at St Giles-in-the-Heath on March 1 last year. He was driving a Peugeot 106 car which was in collision with a Vauxhall Astra van driven by the 19-year-old.

Garthwaite, of Hele Lane, Frithelstock, admitted dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving. Both charges related to his driving on the A388 on March 1 last year.

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Judge Erik Salomonsen adjourned the case for sentence next month and imposed an interim disqualification.

He told Garthwaite: "You have pleaded guilty to two serious offences. You have clearly had good legal advice and you will receive credit for pleading guilty at this early stage."

The case was not opened and no details of the circumstances were given to the court by either the prosecution or the defence.