Alpharetta: At least three Indian-origin students were killed while two others were injured in a deadly car crash in the city of Alpharetta in the US State of Georgia, confirmed authorities. Alpharetta Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Westside Parkway, and an initial investigation revealed that there were five 18-year-old occupants in the car which crashed.
In a statement, the Alpharetta Police said that based on the evidence at the scene of the incident, it is believed that the driver lost control of the vehicle, after which it came to rest upside down in the tree line. The deceased Indian-origin individuals have been identified as Aryan Joshi, a senior at Alpharetta High School, Sriya Avasarala and Anvi Sharma, both freshmen at the University of Georgia.
While Aryan Joshi and Sriya Avasarala were found dead at the scene, the remaining three occupants were taken to the North Fulton Hospital for treatment, where Anvi Sharma succumbed to her injuries. Mohammed Liyakath, a senior at Alpharetta High School, and Rithwak Somepalli, a Georgia State University student and the driver of the vehicle, are undergoing treatment.
After the accident, the University of Georgia said, "The University of Georgia community mourns the lives lost in this tragic accident. Our deepest condolences go out to their families and loved ones as they navigate this difficult time. We hope their memories bring comfort and strength to all who knew them."
Speeding was likely a factor behind the crash
Although the investigation is underway, initial data gathered from the accident indicate that speeding may have been a factor in the car crash. Alpharetta Police announced that the Westside Parkway from Maxwell Road to Hembree Road was briefly closed while an investigation into the accident was underway.
According to a report by 11Alive, Anvi Sharma and Sriya Avasarala just finished their freshman year at the University of Georgia. Sharma was buried on Wednessday, her family said. "Any time young people lose their lives, it’s absolutely heartbreaking," said Shari Kelly, whose husband witnessed the aftermath of the crash.
Avasarala was a member of the UGA Shikaari dance team, and Sharma sang with UGA Kalakaar, an a capella group, according to the Altanta Journal Constitution. Aryan Joshi was about to graduate soon and was one of the biggest supporters of the Alpharetta High School Cricket Team.
In 2021, teenagers accounted for 7 per cent of motor vehicle crash deaths and 9 per cent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths. The percentage of crash deaths that were passenger vehicle occupants is lowest for age 13 (55 per cent) and highest for ages 17 and 18 (81 per cent), according to Fox News. In 2020, motor vehicle crashes was the leading cause of death for females between the ages of 13 and 19 and one of the leading causes for males of the same age.
Previous incidents
Last month, three Indian women in Gujarat were killed and one person was injured in a horrific car accident in South Carolina's Greenville County, after the overspeeding SUV they were travelling in veered across all lanes, ran up an embankment and rose as much as 20 feet in the air before crashing into some trees on the other side.
The three women who died in the crash were identified as Rekhaben Patel, Sangitaben Patel, and Manishaben Patel, all residents of Gujarat's Anand district. Chief Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis said the vehicle was found in pieces after the crash. "It is obvious they were travelling above the posted speed limit," he told news outlet WSPA.
This incident came days after two Indian students hailing from Telangana and studying in the US were killed in a head-on collision in Arizona. The students have been identified as Nivesh Mukka, 19, and Goutham Parsi, 19, both enrolled as international students at Arizona State University.
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