Oscar winner charged over crash

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Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary has been charged with manslaughter and drink driving after a car crash which killed one of his passengers.

Mr Avary, 42, who won an Academy Award for his work on Pulp Fiction, was released on $50,000 (Â£25,440) bail.

The collision occurred at Ojai, 80 miles (130 km) north-west of Los Angeles, killing Andreas Zadini and seriously injuring Mr Avary's wife Gretchen.

The writer co-wrote and executive

produced 2007 historical epic Beowulf.

Pulp Fiction co-writer

His wife was rushed to hospital after being thrown out of the car, while her condition remains unknown.

Mr Zadini, who was from Italy, died of his injuries in hospital after he was cut from the vehicle by firefighters.

Mr Avary co-wrote the screenplay for 1994's Pulp Fiction with director Quentin Tarantino.

When he accepted the award at the Academy Awards, he famously announced: "I really have to pee right now."

While Tarantino went on to score further high profile successes, his creative partner became a script re-writer.