A driver charged over the death of high ranking police officer Steve Fitzgerald has had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf in the Lower Hutt District Court.
Desmond Wilson, 45, is facing one charge of careless driving causing death.
Superintendent Fitzgerald died in June last year after his bike and a container truck collided in the Lower Hutt suburb of Petone as he rode home from work.
He had headed the road policing unit for five years and at the time he died he was national manager of the police communication centres.
Mr Wilson was not in court for the hearing on Thursday as his appearance had been excused.
The next hearing will be in April and a full defended hearing is likely to take place later in the year.
