A Night of Tragedy in Hornsby
A quiet family evening in Sydney's Hornsby district turned into an unimaginable tragedy last Friday night, claiming the lives of a mother and her unborn child. Samanvitha Dhareshwar, 33, who was eight months pregnant, was walking with her husband and their three-year-old son along George Street around 8pm.
The Chain of Events Leading to the Crash
According to New South Wales Police, the family was crossing the road when a Kia Carnival slowed to allow them to pass. In a devastating sequence of events, a BMW, allegedly driven by 19-year-old P-plater Aaron Papazoglu, then collided with the rear of the stationary Kia.
The impact of the collision violently pushed the Kia Carnival forward, striking Ms. Dhareshwar as she was crossing the entrance to a car park. She sustained catastrophic injuries from the crash.
Emergency services rushed the 33-year-old to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, both Ms. Dhareshwar and her unborn baby could not be saved.
Legal Proceedings and Community Mourning
The drivers of both the Kia and the BMW escaped physical injury but were taken for mandatory testing. Following police investigations, Aaron Papazoglu was later arrested at his home in Wahroonga.
He has been charged with multiple offences, including:
- Dangerous driving occasioning death
- Negligent driving occasioning death
- Causing the loss of a fetus
During a subsequent bail hearing, Magistrate Ray Plibersek denied the young man bail, describing the incident as “an absolutely tragic case”. He acknowledged the profound impact on two families, stating, “It’s a terrible outcome for two families. The community’s heart goes out to the victim’s family for the tragic loss.”
Professionally, Samanvitha Dhareshwar was a qualified IT systems analyst, working for Alsco Uniforms according to her LinkedIn profile. The local Sydney community and the nation are left mourning the loss of a young family's future.
