138:
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177:"It is just such a tragic loss of young lives. It is heartbreaking. Young kids out on a Saturday night to enjoy themselves and something like this happens. I, like all other Australians, (am) dreadfully sorry. I can't do more than express my profound sympathy and condolences to those who have lost their children and their friends in this terrible accident.
22:
251:
before
Magistrate Donna Bakos on 19 March 2007. A total of 42 witnesses including 28 children were called during the two-week hearing. Towle was not required to attend the committal hearing due to concerns for his safety and appeared briefly via video link at the beginning of committal proceedings.
211:
Creating more tensions is not going to help them. It's not going to help their families come to grips with what has happened. We, as the community, the police, the people of
Mildura, all need to work together to keep calm on this and ensure that everything's done smoothly, properly and there's no
222:"... with pain and tears, I want everyone to know I feel so sorry for the families and friends of the grieving and dreadful loss that has happened. The community has rallied around all concerned and I, as the father and grandfather, publicly thank them for their kindness and words of compassion."
402:
In
September 2015, Towle was returned to jail after the Adult Parole Board cancelled his parole amid fears of an "escalation of risk to the community." It did not reveal how he had breached the conditions of his parole. He completed his sentence and was released on 16 May 2016.
286:
and said are you all right and someone said 'you just get away from them', then I thought with the other fellas on the road, you know, I better get out of here. There was two cars that had pulled up so I knew that there was help on its way, I just didn’t leave them
396:. On 31 March 2008 he was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of seven years (of which Towle had already served two years on remand). Towle subsequently appealed the sentence but the original judgement was upheld.
204:
Towle's family, including his children, reported receiving threats from members of the community, forcing police to make an announcement appealing for calm. Acting
Inspector Michael Talbot of the Major Collision Investigation Unit was quoted as saying,
310:
I don't believe I did – I did anything wrong. It was a complete accident ... no driver in the world would have been able to control that corner, not even
Michael Schumacher ... unless there were was a speed sign saying to slow down as the corner was
263:
earlier in the day and allowed his four-year-old child to sit on his lap while driving at speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph) shortly before the crash occurred. Witness
Matthew Orsini denied the group had been walking on the road.
292:
Towle fled the scene, leaving his four-year-old son and ten-year-old daughter behind. He telephoned police to notify them of his whereabouts five hours after the crash. Andrew Arden, a teenager present at the crash scene, denied
145:
Peter
Gallagher, a family member of victim Cory Dowling, read a statement on behalf of the victims families to a crowd of over 600 mourners gathered on the lawns at the Mildura Base Hospital on the night of the crash,
335:
investigators a sanitisation of statements of witnesses and as a result there has been an exclusion of important factors and this could have the result of depriving the defendant in this case a fair go
870:
304:
Towle was reported to be hysterical and suicidal in the hours following the crash. On advice from his lawyer, Towle also refused to provide a blood sample to police. Towle later told police:
49:
station wagon struck a group of thirteen teenage pedestrians, killing five immediately and injuring eight more. The teenagers were walking along Myall Street, Cardross to a party in nearby
152:
We are now aware that we have lost our beautiful children overnight. In a moment of time, our lives have been changed forever. No words can describe what we are and will be going through.
272:"By the time I was at the corner, it was pretty sharp, I put me foot on the brake and lost control of the car and then it went sideways into a group of people ... so close to the road."
384:, and to appear for a directions hearing in the Supreme Court on 5 June 2007. Towle was formally refused bail, with Magistrate Bakos saying he was an unacceptable risk of fleeing.
25:
Victims of the
Cardross crash, from top left to right, Shane Hirst, 16; Abby Hirst, 17; Cassandra Manners, 16; Stevie-Lee Weight, 15; Cory Dowling, 16; Josephine Calvi, 16.
937:
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and sentenced to 10 years jail with a minimum of seven years, of which he had already served two years. He completed his sentence on 16 May 2016.
520:
890:
773:
635:
595:
350:
537:
102:, five of negligently causing serious injury and one of failing to stop after a collision. On 31 March 2008 Towle was found guilty in the
267:
Towle told police he was travelling at approximately 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph), and that the corner "just jumped out at him".
479:
197:
held in
Mildura a week after the crash, on 25 February 2006. The festival was hosted by radio announcer and former Red Cliffs resident,
752:
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Towle immediately after the crash, however admitted during committal hearing proceedings he yelled at Towle, saying "
381:
103:
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871:"Thomas Towle loses appeal against length of sentence received after he killed six teenagers in Mildura crash"
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34:
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190:, also sent a message of condolence to the Mildura community, which he had visited during 2005.
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It will be demonstrated throughout this committal that there has been carried out by
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newspaper where previous court attendances of the defendant were listed, an action
294:
282:"People laying down were saying, 'please help me'. I went over to one lady who was
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169:
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98:, appeared in the Mildura Magistrates Court facing 17 charges, including six of
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On 27 March 2007, Magistrate Donna Bakos ordered Towle to stand trial in the
553:
260:
42:
235:'s Henderson Park to mark the first anniversary of the crash. A permanent
217:
The father of the accused, Graham Towle, offered his condolences, saying
99:
460:
440:. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 February 2006. Archived from
365:
248:
228:
54:
891:"Thomas Towle granted parole after deadly crash in Mildura killed six"
392:
The trial of Thomas Graham Towle began on 4 February 2008 before the
735:. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 March 2007. Archived from
523:. Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from
733:"Mildura crash driver didn't refer to people on road, court hears"
346:
342:
136:
128:
113:
20:
374:
277:
Towle described the scene to police as "absolute horror".
850:"Fatal crash driver Thomas Graham Towle appeals sentence"
341:
The vehicle allegedly involved in the crash was sent to
45:
at 9.50 p.m. on 18 February 2006, where the driver of a
349:
without the consent of the defendants' defence team.
239:
was erected at the scene of the crash in early 2007.
16:
Hit and run accident at
Cardross, Victoria, Australia
702:
Cardross deaths committal hearing told car scrapped
938:"Hit-run killer Thomas Towle walks free from jail"
657:
655:
636:"Teens mowed down by car were at wrong address"
94:, an unemployed 35-year-old father of six from
774:Mildura driver 'threatened' after deadly crash
697:
695:
629:
627:
497:Schneiders, Ben; Mildura (20 February 2006).
8:
438:"Community devastated by deadly hit-and-run"
418:List of disasters in Australia by death toll
682:Teens tell of horror smash that claimed six
663:"Teen 'threw bottle' at hit-and-run driver"
317:Defence lawyer for Towle, Brendan Murphy,
717:Witness denies teen crash victims on road
161:announced it would provide A$ 40,000 for
986:Road incident deaths in Victoria (state)
596:Accused's father grieves Mildura victims
399:Towle was freed on parole in June 2013.
325:of his client had been damaged, saying,
299:You f****n' bastard, what have you done?
193:Two minutes silence was observed at the
789:I did nothing wrong: fatal crash driver
476:"Driver to face court, sixth teen dies"
429:
301:" and then threw a beer bottle at him.
910:Houston, Cameron (8 September 2015).
7:
554:"Calm called for after deadly crash"
83:, 16, died the following day at the
822:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
705:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
584:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
480:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
869:Anderson, Paul (3 December 2009).
804:Hit-run suspect's rights 'damaged'
581:Man charged over Mildura car crash
482:. 20 February 2006. Archived from
14:
456:"Mildura crash toll rises to six"
75:, 17 and her 16-year-old brother
912:"Killer driver back behind bars"
634:Davis, Michael (21 March 2007).
57:driver at an incorrect address.
991:Pedestrian road incident deaths
936:Hamblin, Andrea (16 May 2016).
1:
538:'We'll miss your cheeky grin'
247:A committal hearing began in
188:Governor-General of Australia
499:"Crash man appears in court"
413:Lists of traffic collisions
373:suggests could influence a
255:It was alleged Towle drank
141:Permanent roadside memorial
1012:
165:of victims and relatives.
834:Trial for Mildura tragedy
755:28 September 2007 at the
750:Driver fled angry threats
382:Supreme Court of Victoria
104:Supreme Court of Victoria
53:after being dropped by a
971:2006 crimes in Australia
195:Lock Rock Music Festival
227:On 18 February 2007, a
85:Royal Adelaide Hospital
79:all died at the scene.
559:Television New Zealand
159:Government of Victoria
142:
134:
126:
26:
612:"Cardross road crash"
486:on 13 September 2007.
168:Then Prime Minister,
140:
132:
117:
90:On 20 February 2006,
24:
648:on 15 December 2012.
519:(19 February 2006).
172:issued a statement,
976:2006 road incidents
464:. 19 February 2006.
295:threatening to kill
92:Thomas Graham Towle
31:Cardross road crash
858:. AAP. 5 May 2009.
819:Media and Contempt
686:The Brisbane Times
601:, 23 February 2006
586:, 20 February 2006
562:. 20 February 2006
543:, 21 February 2006
527:on 29 August 2007.
521:"Mildura Accident"
143:
135:
133:Roadside memorials
127:
39:Cardross, Victoria
27:
739:on 28 March 2007.
243:Committal hearing
237:roadside memorial
120:roadside memorial
65:Stevie-Lee Weight
61:Cassandra Manners
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671:. 21 March 2007.
668:The Courier-Mail
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644:. Archived from
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517:Jeffery, Michael
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444:on 6 March 2008.
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333:Victorian police
229:memorial service
212:trouble caused."
100:culpable driving
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761:The Border Mail
757:Wayback Machine
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81:Josephine Calvi
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899:. 5 June 2013.
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47:Ford EA Falcon
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122:in Myall St,
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947:. Retrieved
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921:26 September
919:. Retrieved
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566:23 September
564:. Retrieved
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231:was held at
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199:Myf Warhurst
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69:Cory Dowling
68:
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18:
996:2006 deaths
949:21 February
792:News.com.au
617:Google Maps
371:Media Watch
363:article in
356:Media Watch
347:scrap metal
284:unconscious
259:mixed with
170:John Howard
163:counselling
77:Shane Hirst
35:hit and run
965:Categories
943:Herald Sun
876:Herald Sun
855:Herald Sun
837:Herald Sun
424:References
361:front page
287:stranded."
118:Temporary
96:Red Cliffs
73:Abby Hirst
51:Red Cliffs
321:said the
261:Coca-Cola
110:Aftermath
43:Australia
37:crash at
896:ABC News
753:Archived
407:See also
124:Cardross
981:Mildura
916:The Age
807:The Age
614:(Map).
599:The Age
541:The Age
503:The Age
461:The Age
366:The Age
249:Mildura
233:Mildura
351:ABC TV
186:, the
71:, 16,
67:, 15,
63:, 16,
33:was a
388:Trial
343:Japan
951:2020
923:2015
568:2011
375:jury
345:for
157:The
55:taxi
29:The
353:'s
967::
940:.
914:.
893:.
873:.
852:.
694:^
665:.
654:^
638:.
626:^
556:.
501:.
478:.
458:.
377:.
337:."
319:QC
201:.
87:.
41:,
953:.
925:.
879:.
620:.
570:.
505:.
329:"
313:"
308:"
209:"
179:"
150:"
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