Michael John Severino cannot remember if it was him, a Sydney court heard on Monday, July 27.

He pleaded not guilty to aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death. 

Lawyers on both sides of the case acknowledged the then 24-year-old had been drinking before the crash in Sydney's north at 4.15am on April 9.

Soon after the crash, Mr Severino returned a blood alcohol reading of .161, more than three times the legal limit.

Mr Severino and Ms Fryer, a student living in Manly, had been drinking at the New Brighton Hotel in Manly the night before the crash, the court heard. 

Crown Prosecutor Richard Herps said the pair were travelling south on Mona Vale Road near Terrey Hills at 105km/h.

The car veered off the road, hit a concrete barrier, braked and then flipped twice, the jury at the Downing Centre District Court was told. Ms Fryer was thrown from the car and landed heavily on the road, suffering head injuries from which she later died.

Some facts were beyond dispute. Mr Severino owned the 1999 sedan; he had an unrestricted licence; there was no mechanical fault with the car; the crash was the cause of Ms Fryer's death.

But the two barristers differed on who was driving the manual vehicle. 

Mr Herps said the accused was behind the wheel and Ms Fryer was in the front passenger seat. He said Ms Fryer had only an automatic licence.  

Appearing for Mr Severino, Carolyn Davenport, SC, told the jury it would hear evidence that her client was found unconscious near the passenger side of the car and his blood was found on the passenger side of the windscreen.

Ms Davenport said her client had given differing accounts of who was driving when asked in the immediate aftermath of the accident. 

"Mr Severino was confused about the events that had led up to the accident," she said.

"He has maintained he does not remember the lead-up to what happened."

The trial continues.