A devastating crash in Sydney has claimed the life of 33-year-old Samanvitha Dhareshwar, an Indian-origin woman who was just weeks away from giving birth to her second child. Dhareshwar, who was eight months pregnant, had been out for an evening walk with her husband and three-year-old son when the tragedy unfolded last Friday.
Police say a Kia Carnival had slowed down to let the family cross George Street in Hornsby around 8 p.m. when a speeding BMW plowed into its rear. The force of the impact pushed the Kia forward, striking Dhareshwar as she stepped across the entrance of a nearby car park.
She suffered catastrophic injuries and was rushed to Westmead Hospital, but doctors were unable to save her or her unborn baby.
The BMW was allegedly driven by 19-year-old Aaron Papazoglu, a P-plater with a provisional licence. Both he and the driver of the Kia escaped without injury. Police have not confirmed whether Dhareshwar’s husband or child were hurt.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Dhareshwar was an experienced IT systems analyst and worked as a test analyst for Alsco uniforms.
Papazoglu was arrested at his home in Wahroonga and has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death, and causing the loss of a foetus. His bail was denied due to the severity of the allegations.
The case is expected to proceed under Zoe’s Law, a New South Wales statute introduced in 2022 that allows harsher penalties when a crime results in the death of an unborn child. If convicted, the driver could face up to three additional years in prison on top of the sentence for the underlying offences.
The tragedy has shocked the local community, cutting short the life of a young mother and her unborn child during what should have been a joyful final stretch of pregnancy.