Dahl’s passenger, Jayke Robinson, was killed in the fiery crash, which occurred in the early hours of December 2 after a “joy riding” Dahl lost control of the car on a bend on Cleveland Road.

The vehicle careered through a barbed wire fence before slamming into the tree and exploding on impact.

Local residents woken by the sound of the crash ran to the scene and were able to drag Dahl from the vehicle, however Mr Robinson could not be freed in time and perished in the fire.

Dahl was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

In an opening address to Wollongong District Court on Monday, Crown prosecutor David Scully said a neighbour who lived near the crash site reported hearing burnouts and a vehicle revving loudly in the direction of nearby Dapto High School, prompting him to go outside.

Mr Scully said he expected the witness would tell the court he saw a “small to medium sized car” with a loudly revving engine travel along Cleveland Road at about 160km/r before it slowed down to negotiate a bend in the road.

“The Crown case is he could see the car coming for quite some distance and could see it going for quite some distance, and had a good opportunity to observe the speed it was going,” Mr Scully said.

“[The witness] didn’t see the crash because the crest obscured his view, but he did see flames [from the vehicle].

“The Crown alleges Mr Dahl was joy riding [but] slowed his vehicle on approach to the bend because he knew it was coming.

“He then cut the corner but was simply going to fast, slammed on his breaks and careered into the tree.”

Police crash investigators who examined the scene estimated Dahl’s speed at somewhere between 95km/h and 105km/h at the point of impact.

That speed is disputed by Dahl’s defence team, who are expected to call their own expert witnesses in the trial.

Acting Judge Stephen Walmsley, who is presiding over the trial without a jury, is expected to attend the scene of the crash at some stage during the five-day trial.