A Sydney schoolgirl has died on her way home from an exam when a car driven by an unlicenced driver ploughed into her while she was on the footpath waiting for a bus.
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Aneri Patel, 16, was waiting for the bus at Kogarah in Sydney’s south, when a 4WD left the road, hit her and smashed through the shopfront of O’Reilly & Daly Chemists, in the exact spot a young woman was killed in similar circumstances seven years ago.
The Year 11 Kogarah High School student was trapped under the vehicle near the corner of Railway Parade and Montgomery Street on Monday morning and died at the scene.
The driver, an unlicensed 26-year-old woman, was arrested on Monday night and was being questioned by police.
No charges have been laid.
‘‘The 29-year-old female passenger and owner of the vehicle was treated in hospital for shock,’’ police said.
Two children passengers, aged two and four, weren’t injured but an 84-year-old man who was shopping in the chemist and a 51-year-old female employee were taken to St George Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Parents of children at the high school were told of tragedy on Monday afternoon.
‘‘I need to inform you of some sad news,’’ Deputy Principal Ross Tindale wrote in a text message.
‘‘One of our Year 11 students Aneri Patel has passed away as a result of an accident ... The parents have been informed.’’
Mr Tindale said in the message that counselling would be available to students.
Year 11 exams were postponed until Tuesday and Wednesday, however Thursday and Friday would be normal school days for the year group.
One mother in Kogarah said her daughter was upset by the news.
‘‘She was in the same year, she was shaken,’’ she said.
The crash came at the same spot where 20-year-old fashion student Emma Hansen was killed by a car while waiting for a bus seven years ago.
In that accident, a 42-year-old learner driver attempted to brake but instead accelerated into a queue of people at the bus stop, injuring 11 and killing Ms Hansen.
Residents in the area have called for a barrier to be put up to stop another tragedy.‘‘I’m crying.
They have to put up a barrier, they have it on the other side,’’ said Dianne Daniels.
‘‘It’s happened before, why did they not put a barrier?’’ Kogarah City Council said the speed limit at the crash site had been reduced from 60km/h to 50km/h following the 2007 tragedy.
Kogarah council said it would respond accordingly to any recommendations stemming from investigations.
AAP
