A 19-year-old provisional licence holder has been granted bail following a tragic collision in Sydney's northern suburbs that claimed the life of a pregnant woman and her unborn child.
Tragic Details of the Fatal Incident
Aaron Papazoglu spent one week in Silverwater Correctional Centre before being released on conditional bail with a $50,000 surety. The university student faces charges including dangerous driving occasioning death and causing the loss of a foetus after the November 13 incident near Hornsby train station.
The court heard that Papazoglu's white BMW allegedly struck a Kia Carnival from behind as it slowed to allow Samanvitha Dhareshwar and her family to cross the entrance to the station's Number 1 carpark. The impact caused the Kia to surge forward, striking the 33-year-old mother who was eight months pregnant.
Victim's Promising Future Cut Short
New details have emerged about Mrs Dhareshwar, who was just 20 days away from giving birth to her second child. According to IndianLink reports, her parents were scheduled to fly to Australia for the birth, while her mother-in-law had been living with the family for nearly a year.
The Dhareshwar family had recently purchased land in Grantham Farm and submitted building plans for a two-storey home with Blacktown City Council in September. A neighbour described Samanvitha as "very outgoing, calm and polite" and noted the family's happiness about their recent property acquisition.
Tragically, just two hours before the fatal collision, Mrs Dhareshwar had told her neighbour she was heading to collect her husband from work because their three-year-old son was "adamant to see his dad".
Legal Proceedings and Conditions
Papazoglu's lawyer, Chris Kalpage, told Parramatta Local Court that his client had no prior criminal or driving offences and is considered of good character with strong community ties. The court heard the teenager had accelerated through an intersection when traffic lights turned amber.
After an initial unsuccessful bail application, Papazoglu was granted conditional release at Downing Centre court last Friday. His bail conditions require him to reside at his mother's Wahroonga apartment and avoid contact with Crown witnesses.
The 19-year-old's driving licence has been suspended pending the outcome of the case. He was spotted being driven by his older brother Ari following his release from Silverwater prison.
Papazoglu has not entered any pleas to the charges and is scheduled to return to court on January 13 for his next hearing. Mr Kalpage emphasised that the case has "a long way to go" through the legal system.
Meanwhile, Mrs Dhareshwar's husband and young son have not been seen at their Hornsby apartment complex since the tragedy and are understood to be staying with relatives in north-west Sydney.
