A devastating accident in Sydney’s Hornsby has claimed the life of 33-year-old Samanvitha Dhareshwar, an Indian-origin IT systems analyst who was eight months pregnant and only weeks away from giving birth to her second child.
She had been out walking with her husband and their three-year-old son on Friday night when the fatal crash unfolded near the entrance of a parking garage.
Investigators say a Kia had slowed down to allow the family to cross when it was suddenly struck from behind by a BMW allegedly driven at high speed by 19-year-old Australian national Aaron Papazoglu.
The heavy impact propelled the Kia forward, hitting Dhareshwar as she moved past the car park entry point. Emergency responders treated her at the scene before she was taken to Westmead Hospital, but doctors were unable to save either her or her unborn child, according to reports by 7 News and the Herald Sun.
Papazoglu, who was arrested the following morning at his home in Wahroonga, has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death, and causing the loss of a foetus.
During his first court appearance, Magistrate Ray Plibersek refused him bail, calling the incident “an absolutely tragic case” and remarking, “It’s a terrible outcome for two families.”
Although police alleged excessive speed, prosecutors indicated they were still assessing what evidence supported that specific claim, as noted by The Daily Mail.
The case falls under New South Wales’ Zoe’s Law, updated in 2022, which allows for harsher sentences when an unborn child dies as a result of negligent or dangerous driving. Under this legislation, offenders can receive as many as three additional years on top of the underlying penalty.
Dhareshwar’s professional profile on LinkedIn identifies her as a qualified IT systems analyst working with Alsco Uniforms, a uniform rental firm.
Floral tributes and handwritten notes have been placed at the crash site by residents and passersby. One message read, “I pray for you and your little one that you are held with love as you leave this world Words can’t describe how sorry I am that this has happened to you.”
Another card was left by a woman named Laura, who described arriving at the scene moments after the collision. Addressing her note to “Dear Mum + Bub + family,” she wrote, “I arrived here on my nightly walk just after the accident occurred,” adding that “while we don’t know each other, it was a great privilege to be present with you for those moments.”
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