The man driving the car in which 15-year old Oshea Stowe was travelling when he was killed last year pleaded guilty yesterday to causing the teen's death.

However Orlando Lee Burch, 24, denied that he was drunk at the time.

Burch, then 23, was at the wheel of the car travelling along Ord Road in Warwick around 5 a.m. on July 29, 2003. He lost control of the Subaru J-10, smashing into a wall before colliding with a parked trailer.

His passengers were three teenagers: 15-year old Oshea, a 14-year old and a 16-year old. Oshea died, while the other two escaped unscathed. Burch later failed a breathalyser test.

In court yesterday, however, he pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing Oshea's death by driving while impaired. He did plead guilty to a second charge of causing death by reckless driving. Chief Justice Richard Ground convicted him on the second charge while discharging him on the first.

Burch is now facing a "grave and serious risk" of jail time, Mr. Justice Ground said.

His bail was continued and his case set down for mention on November 1 while a social inquiry report is prepared.

However Mr. Ground added one more condition: he suspended Burch's license to drive motor cars pending his sentencing.

Burch remains legally able to ride a bike.