On Saturday, a fatal car accident occurred near Bochara in south-west Victoria, claiming the life of 31-year-old Alicia Montebello.
Montebello’s red Toyota Corolla hatchback reportedly veered out of control and collided with a tree, resulting in her death. Local Hamilton teens Meghan Fox, 14, Joshua Elmes, 15, and Lucas Gorzali, 14, were killed in the crash along with her. Jorja, the 17-year-old sister of Meghan, has survived a serious accident but is currently hospitalized and in critical condition. Just six weeks ago,
Ms. Montebello appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court where she was fined $700 without conviction for charges of wilful damage, two counts of stalking, and four counts of contravening bail. According to The Warrnambool Standard, the stalking charges pertain to a teenage girl who was allegedly being groomed, as claimed by her parents.
According to reports, the breach of bail charges against Ms. Montebello are linked to her discovery in the company of two teenage girls on Hamilton Street during the early hours of April 14th.
Ms Montebello, who referred to Jorja Fox as her “best friend,” had developed a strong bond with her. In March, she shared a photo of herself posing with Jorja and her sister Meghan.
It has been revealed by the parents of Joshua Elmes that their son had snuck out of the house the previous night before he ended up in the car with the 31-year-old, following the crash. Ms. Montebello’s extensive traffic record was also brought to light, in addition to the aforementioned charges.
In January 2015, she was disqualified from driving when authorities discovered her driving under the influence of alcohol in an unregistered vehicle in South Australia. In February 2016, she received a suspended 12-day jail term after being banned again for driving while disqualified.
Prior to this, she had already been banned for four months and 14 days. Prior to this incident, the individual had been charged with multiple offenses including speeding, operating an unregistered vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol while on P plates, and possession of illegal drugs.
According to a recent report, the father of one of the teenagers who lost their lives in a fatal accident on the Wannon-Nigretta Falls Road at Bochara, located 320km west of Melbourne, has disclosed that he had cautioned his son against riding in the car with Ms. Montebello.
According to Matthew Elmes, a 46-year-old father of Joshua, he was concerned that Ms. Montebello was a hazardous driver who was satisfying the young ones’ desire for excitement.
According to Mr. Elmes, it is advisable to seek an adrenaline rush by visiting a theme park or engaging in skydiving activities, rather than getting into a car. According to reports, prior to the crash, Ms. Montebello had been frequently spotted driving the Corolla in the area.
Witnesses claim that she had been encouraging her passengers to not wear seat belts while driving recklessly. According to a recent report, a disturbing video was shared on Snapchat that allegedly shows the car speeding down a rural road at 130km/h just hours before the fatal crash.
The video was reportedly taken from inside the car. The identity of the driver involved in the car crash has not been disclosed by the police. However, detectives are optimistic that Jorja Fox will be able to assist with the investigation once she has recovered.
A close bond was shared between her and Ms. Montebello, as evidenced by an image posted by the latter on March 19, featuring the two of them alongside the Fox sisters. In a heartfelt message accompanied by a heart emoji, the user expressed their love for their best friend, Jorja Fox. A post has been made that has garnered an angry emoji from Jorja’s sister Kayla.
On Monday, Kayla took to social media to pay tribute to her sisters. The user mourns the loss of their beloved angel and expresses that they will always hold a special place in their heart. In an Instagram post, she wrote,
“Life isn’t going to be the same without your goofy personality or that sweetheart.” The speaker expressed that the recipient of their message was an exceptional younger sibling. The individual expressed their deep affection for Meghan.
The individual expressed a deep emotional pain, stating that their heart aches greatly due to the absence of someone who they expected to be following closely behind them. Kayla paid tribute to the other teens killed in the crash, but did not mention Ms. Montebello in her post.
During an emotional interview with the Sunrise program on Tuesday, Lee-Ann and Matthew Elmes, parents of Joshua, were brought to tears as they urged young drivers to exercise caution while driving.
Ms. Elmes urged the youth of Hamilton and beyond to consider their loved ones before stepping out of their homes. The user urged individuals to consider the potential events that could occur during the time period between their departure and return home.
According to Ms. Elmes, she recounted the final moments she spent with her son on Friday morning, just before she heard him leave the house. The individual reported stating, “I love you.” According to her, she said goodnight to him.
Five minutes later, the sound of the door opening and closing caught my attention. I immediately called out to him and asked, “Where are you headed?” According to the individual, they stated, “I’m going for a walk, I’ll see you soon.” The individual reported that they did not receive any further communication from the person in question.
According to a spokesperson for the supermarket, it has been confirmed that Joshua worked with Ms. Montebello at Coles Hamilton. The staff has been offered counseling in the aftermath of the crash.
According to the spokesperson, the team expressed their sincere condolences to the loved ones of their team members who were involved in a car crash on Saturday. Coles Hamilton has offered counselling to their team members during this tragic time, and our thoughts are with them.
According to Police Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir, a witness reported seeing the group’s car departing from a nearby waterfall park at approximately 1 am on Saturday. This confirmation was made on Sunday.
At approximately 9 am, a passer-by discovered the wreckage at Wannon-Nigretta Road. According to Mr. Weir, a crash reconstruction of the accident site on the narrow road revealed that the car was traveling at a speed significantly exceeding 100km/h.
According to the individual, the act of driving at such a high speed on that particular road, regardless of the time of day, is simply unfathomable. According to a police spokesperson, the investigation is still ongoing.