A young Sydney family has been shattered after a 33-year-old Indian origin woman, who was eight months pregnant, was killed when a car allegedly driven by a 19-year-old man collided with another vehicle in Hornsby, forcing it into her path.
Samanvitha Dhareshwar, who had been walking with her husband and three-year-old son near their home, was crossing the entrance to a car park on George Street about 8 pm last Friday when the crash occurred.
Police allege that a white BMW, driven by Aaron Papazoglu, struck the rear of a Kia Carnival that had slowed to allow the family to cross safely. The impact allegedly pushed the Kia forward, hitting Ms Dhareshwar. She sustained catastrophic injuries.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated her at the scene before rushing her to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition. Despite extensive efforts, she and her unborn baby could not be saved.
Papazoglu — a university student with no prior criminal or driving history — was arrested hours later at a home on Millewa Avenue, Wahroonga. He has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death, and causing the loss of a foetus due to the death of a pregnant woman, an offence under NSW’s Zoe’s Law.
Both drivers — Aaron, who was driving the BMW and the 48-year-old man driving the Kia — were uninjured and underwent mandatory testing at Hornsby Hospital. No other occupants were in either vehicle.
Officers from Ku-Ring-Gai Police Area Command established a crime scene, which the Crash Investigation Unit examined.
The teen appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday, where his lawyer described him as a “young man of good standing”. Magistrate Ray Plibersek acknowledged Papazoglu’s previously clean record but refused bail, citing the gravity of the allegations and the likelihood of imprisonment if convicted.
Ms Dhareshwar — remembered by friends as gentle, hardworking and devoted to her young family — had recently begun planning a new home with her husband in Sydney’s north-west.
Police are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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