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Fundraiser, Vigil Held For Victims Of Venice Beach Boardwalk Crash

VENICE (CBSLA.com) — A fundraiser and vigil was held Monday to honor the victims in Saturday's deadly Venice Beach Boardwalk crash.

The Candle Café, 325 Ocean Front Walk, held the fundraiser throughout the day, with the vigil at Monday night.

Alice Gruppioni, 32, and 11 others were injured Saturday evening when Nathan Louis Campbell allegedly drove his Dodge Avenger onto the popular tourist hub.

The 38-year-old transient was booked on suspicion of murder after turning himself into Santa Monica police. He is being held at the Men's Central Jail on $1 million bond.

Gruppioni, an Italian citizen, was on her honeymoon with her husband, Christian, who was also injured in the crash.

"It was their honeymoon. They were very excited to explore Los Angeles," Italian consul general Giuseppe Perrone said. "They were just having this casual, beautiful, nice walk on Venice Beach and all of a sudden they were faced with this horrible tragedy. It is just such a senseless and heinous act … at [what should be] a very happy time in their lives. It makes the tragedy even more unbearable."

Gruppioni's family arrived in Los Angeles Sunday and released the following statement Monday morning.

"Alice was a remarkable young lady making her personal dreams come true. Born in a very traditional Italian family, she became part of the family's business when she was only 19.   Now at 32, she is  a general manager of the key company of the  Sira Group, a multinational family owned group. Aside from being a concrete and business oriented person, she never ceased to be the romantic and dreaming girl fantasizing about her bridal gown and her meeting Prince Charming, which she actually did.  When she met Christen and the got married a week ago, Alice is living a life full of love and people loving her..her father and mother (Valerio and Barbara) are heart broken as are the two sisters Naike with Vincenzo and the two twin kids, beloved Leone and Gregorio and little Carlotta, the beloved cousins, Francesca and Philipo, the Aunt, Katia, and the grandmothers..she was robbed of her life
while living her dream visit to California with her husband and this was a tremendous injustice," Katia Gruppiono, Alice's aunt, said.

At the vigil Monday, her aunt said their family was deeply touched by the show of support from the community.

Gruppiono's family will leave Tuesday to take her body back to Italy for funeral proceedings.

Two people remain hospitalized Monday with unknown injuries.

RELATED STORIES:

Man Arrested In Deadly Hit-And-Run At Venice Beach Boardwalk

Fatal Victim In Venice Boardwalk Tragedy Was Italian Woman On Her Honeymoon

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