A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving in connection with a crash in which a teenage pedestrian died.

Roddy Ashworth

A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving in connection with a crash in Essex in which a teenage pedestrian died.

Ryan Elmore, of Harwich, was allegedly driving a silver car that mounted a pavement in Main Road, Dovercourt, and collided with Charlotte Blackburn, 17, of Little Oakley, in the early hours of May 25.

The car also smashed through a wall and into a house in Main Road, near its junction with Gwynne Road, causing major damage.

An 18-year-old male pedestrian was also hurt in the Bank Holiday crash, which happened at 1.05am, although he only suffered minor injuries and did not need hospital treatment.

Later in the day the pavement was awash with flowers where Charlotte had died, many bearing tributes from friends who had studied with her at the Harwich School and the Colchester Institute, where she had specialised in tourism.

Speaking in the days after her death, her family said they had taken strength from the messages of support left at the scene.

Charlotte's brother, Aidan, 16, said: “She was always there for me. We used to share out secrets.”

Her father Neil added: “She was always the life and soul - she was a very strong personality.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said yesterday: “A 20-year-old man from Harwich has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving in connection with a crash on Main Road, Harwich on Monday May 25 in which a 17-year-old pedestrian Charlotte Blackburn sadly died.

“He has been bailed and will be appearing at Colchester Magistrates Court on 24 September 2009.”