Terrence Tanti denies the charges.

The driver of the car involved in the fatal accident in Nadur early on New Year’s Day was yesterday charged with the involuntary homicide of a friend and with driving under the influence of alcohol.

Terrence Tanti, 22, from San Ġwann was also charged with seriously injuring another friend in the accident, driving negligently, carelessly and in a dangerous manner and handling a car when he was drunk. He was also charged with damaging an electricity pole.

A distraught Mr Tanti pleaded not guilty and Magistrate Paul Coppini granted him bail against a €1,000 deposit and a €5,000 personal guarantee.

The car crash that claimed the life of 22-year-old law student Matthew Meilak, from Swieqi, occurred at 3.45am on Thursday when five friends were returning home after attending a private party at a farmhouse in Nadur.

Mr Tanti, who is following a business administration course at the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology, was driving his blue Peugeot 106 in the direction of Victoria when the accident occurred, with the car smashing into a wall and an electricity pole.

Mr Meilak succumbed to severe head injuries, which he sustained when he was thrown out of the car on impact, ending up on the ground about 12 metres from the wrecked vehicle.

Civil Protection Department personnel were called on site to free some of the students still trapped in the car.

Sources told Times of Malta investigators have established that Mr Meilak was sitting in the middle on the back seat, with Edward Cole, from Sliema and Alexander Scerri Herrera, 22, from Kappara, on either side.

It has been reported that, when paramedics and the police arrived on the scene after the accident, Mr Scerri Herrera was not seen. The police mounted a search and found him about 35 minutes later wandering in the whereabouts and heading towards Victoria. He was visibly suffering from shock.

Miguel Camilleri, 22, from San Ġwann, who was sitting on the front seat, was seriously injured. He was operated upon and is now recovering at Gozo General Hospital.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Mr Camilleri said he was overwhelmed by the messages he had received and also expressed grief for the loss of his “best friend”.

“Fractures, breaks and cuts will never compare to the pain of losing your best friend, your brother. Rest in peace Matt. I love you and miss you xx,” he wrote.

The group of friends, described by colleagues as “inseparable”, had crossed over to Gozo to celebrate New Year’s Eve following their graduation last month.

The crash happened at the second bend on the long road that leads to Victoria. There were visible blue marks on the wall as well as on the electricity pole. Glass and different parts of the car were still scattered on the ground yesterday.

The entire light fitting on the electricity pole came off on impact and could be seen at the side of the road.

On impact, the vehicle turned on its side. The sources said neither its front nor its back windscreens were shattered.

An autopsy on Mr Meilak’s corpse is expected to be carried out today.