A 33-year-old pregnant Indian woman killed in Sydney has left a community in shock after a devastating road accident.
Samanvitha Dhareshwar, eight months pregnant, went for an evening walk in Hornsby with her husband and young son. A Kia Carnival slowed down to let the family cross George Street. A speeding BMW then crashed into the Kia, pushing it forward and striking Dhareshwar at the entrance of a car park.
Emergency crews rushed her to Westmead Hospital. Doctors fought to save her and her unborn second child, but both lost their lives. Her husband and three-year-old son escaped without major injuries.
Police say 19-year-old BMW driver Aaron Papazoglu fled but officers later arrested him at his Wahroonga home. He now faces serious charges including dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death, and causing the loss of a foetus. A magistrate denied him bail due to the severity of the case.
The trial may proceed under Zoe’s Law, introduced in 2022. The legislation allows tougher penalties for offences that result in the death of an unborn child. Dhareshwar worked as an IT systems analyst and had built a promising career in Sydney.
