ACoonawarra man has appeared in court following the death of two Suttontown residents in a multi-vehicle crash on the Riddoch Highway near Penola on Sunday afternoon.


Shane Robert Leistra, 51, appeared via telephone in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon.


Represented in person by his lawyer Jarrod Ryan, Mr Leistra was granted bail by Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos to reappear in the same court at 11.30am on November 18.


His application for bail was not opposed by Police Prosecutor Sergeant Sandi Stokes.


Major Crash Investigators had arrested Mr Leistra the previous day and charged him with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing harm by dangerous driving.


He was refused bail by police and was still in custody at the time of Tuesday afternoon’s hearing.


A police report issued on Monday stated Mr Leistra had suffered minor injures in the collision and had been taken to Mount Gambier Hospital for treatment.


Premier Peter Malinauskas has described the Penola crash as a tragedy.


“As tragic as that passing is, and whenever we see a life lost on our roads, one’s never more tragic than the other, it’s all terrible,” Premier Malinauskas said.


“But we are grateful the road toll has improved on that shocking number we saw last year.”


Floral tributes have been laid at the crash scene since Sunday.