THE 15-year-old driver who crashed his father's pick-up into a utility pole, killing three of his friends during a late night joyride on Monday, was given bail in the sum of $300,000 when he appeared in the St Catherine Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Police said the 15-year-old boy was charged with three counts of death by dangerous driving; driving away a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and driving without a driver's licence and insurance coverage.

He is to reappear in court on June 4.

Fourteen-year-old Oshane Salmon; Crystal Robinson, 15; and her brother Matthew Brown, 10, were all thrown from the bed of the pick-up truck to their deaths when the vehicle developed a skid and crashed into the utility pole on the Port Henderson main road in Portmore, St Catherine.

The youngsters were all from the 3 East community in Greater Portmore.

Police said yesterday that the youngster's father had given a written statement stating that he had not given his son permission to drive the vehicle.