By Jamie Berry, Mildura
February 27, 2006
THE deaths of five people in a Tasmanian car crash on Saturday have resonated loudly with Mildura residents, who will today farewell the last of six teenagers killed in a hit-run tragedy a week before.
This morning's funeral of 16-year-old Josephine Calvi will hopefully provide some sense of closure to a community in mourning. But Mildura Rural City Mayor Eddie Warhurst said yesterday that the Tasmanian tragedy, in which five women and girls died on the way to a basketball tournament, had "brought it all back, there's no doubt about that".
"After what we have been through, we understand what that community is feeling," he said.
"We sympathise and our feelings go out to them."
Cr Warhurst said many people in the region were still wrestling with the incomprehensible.
"The community is still very traumatised," he said. "It's been a trying time and the district has been very, very shocked. The whole thing, emotionally and physically, has been draining."
Mark Bateman, a chaplain who has been based in Mildura in the past week, said there was every chance the Tasmanian crash would resurrect feelings of sadness and anger in the Sunraysia region.
"It's quite similar to here  a small community, a large number of fatalities," he said.
"The last thing people need is to have people talking about another tragedy on top of their own. It's so fresh in their own minds the potential is there for it to retraumatise people."
More than a week after the Mildura smash, people continued to pay their respects to victims at the crash site at Cardross yesterday.
About 2500 people are expected to attend Josephine Calvi's funeral at St Joseph's College Stadium following the release of her body by the South Australian Coroner's Office.
Last week, Coroner Mark Johns apologised to the Calvi family, upset after learning that tests to determine the cause of her death would take up to two weeks, delaying her planned funeral.
Ms Calvi's family have requested that mourners donate money to a charity to be announced, instead of flowers.
Meanwhile, two boys injured in the Mildura crash remain in hospital. Marco Medici, 15, is in a stable but critical condition at The Alfred hospital, while Nick Pezzaniti, 14, is in a stable condition at the Royal Children's Hospital.
Six teenagers were killed in a horrific road accident near Mildura in north-western Victoria, Australia late at night on February 18. 

Cassandra Manners, aged 16, Stevie-Lee Weight, 15, Cory Dowling, 16, Shane Hirst, 16, and his sister, Abby Hirst, 17, died at the scene. Josephine Calvi, 16, was flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she later died of head injuries. Seven other teenagers were injured, including 15-year-old Marco Medici who is now in a stable but critical condition in The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

The accident occurred after the teenagers left a 16th birthday party and walked along Myall Road, Cardross, south-east of Mildura. A car allegedly came speeding around a bend, hit the gravel on the side of the road, lost control and struck the group. The alleged driver, later identified as 34-year-old Thomas Graham Towle, fled the scene on foot, leaving his 10-year-old daughter and four-year-old son in the car. Towle was later arrested by police in Redcliffs. He was taken to Mildura police station for questioning.

Towle has been charged with six charges of culpable driving causing death, four charges of negligently causing serious injury, one charge of failing to stop and one charge of failing to render assistance after an accident. Towle faced Mildura Magistrates' Court on February 20. Magistrate John Dugdale remanded him into custody to reappear before the court on June 26.

Meanwhile, the town of Mildura and surrounding areas is in deep mourning. Premier Steve Bracks said the State Government will provide $AU40,000 for counselling and support services.

Around 3,000 people attended the funeral for Josephine Calvi today. Funeral services for the other five teenagers were held last week.