By Stephen Linnell
THROUGHOUT last week, the flowers kept coming.
Each day, new wreaths were laid at the scene of the horrific collision that took the lives of two Hoppers Crossing men in what many have described as one of the worst local road tragedies in recent memory.
Some bouquets contained just flowers, others had messages of support and sympathy from family and friends.
While poignant, nothing could erase the pain felt by the families of Mark Cornea, 27, and Peter Fuss, 39, whose lives ended so suddenly, so tragically.
For Mark Cornea, life was just getting better.
Last December, the 27-year-old’s wife Janet moved to Wyndham from the Philippines and the reunited couple had plans to buy their own home next month.
But as Mr Fuss, driving his white Commodore with Mr Cornea in the passenger seat, turned right into Mossfiel Drive about 5pm last Monday week, those dreams came to a crashing end.
Their Commodore was involved in a collision with a Falcon driven by 24-year-old Melton West man Michael John Talkes.
Mr Cornea and Mr Fuss died at the scene.
Mr Cornea’s older brother, David, was still coming to terms with the tragedy when he spoke to Star.
“All he was doing was coming home from work,” he said. “He was such a generous person. He was always there to help.”
Mr Cornea worked at Boddingtons, a plastics manufacturing firm based in Sunshine. He was on his way with Mr Fuss to pick up a car from his father’s home, where he had been living for several months with his wife Janet.
“They only had a proper married life since December when she moved over from the Philippines,” David said. “They were looking to move out together in August to start a new life.”
He said Janet was struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband. “Her family is in the Philippines and she feels very alone.
“She’s in total shock, devastated … we’re all trying to be strong at the moment, particularly for mum and dad. My brother just loved fishing and the Carlton Football Club.”
Mr Fuss had just become a grandfather.
Tim Fuss, Peter’s brother, described him as a family man who loved the North Melbourne Football Club.
He said that Peter’s partner, Jan, had driven past the accident and recognised the car but was unable to stop.
“She … saw the registration and thought, ‘that’s my car’. She couldn’t pull over so she kept driving home.
“She was all numb. She picked up her son at home and went back and asked about the occupants and as she got closer, she knew.”
Mr Talkes and his passenger, a 20-year-old Wyndham Vale woman, received only minor injuries in the crash.
He appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday on two counts of culpable driving causing death. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until October.
It was the second major accident on Heaths Road in four weeks. Last month, Wyndham’s police chief called on motorists to slow down after a series of serious collisions.
Police were amazed that the driver of a blue Mitsubishi Magna was not killed when his car split in two after sideswiping trees on the median strip on Heaths Rd.
