Nepalese man wanted over car crash that killed two of his friends is arrested at Sydney airport after trying to leave the country
- Sagar Bhattarai was arrested at the airport and taken to Mascot Police Station
- He was charged with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death
- He was charged with six other offences and will face Parramatta Bail Court today
- Samikshya Subedi, 22, and Gopal Bhandari died in the crash near Canberra
- The sedan rolled over multiple times, injuring three people and killing the two
A Nepalese man who allegedly killed two of his friends in a horror car crash has been arrested at Sydney Airport trying to flee the country.
Sagar Bhattarai, 22, was allegedly driving a Mazda 6 when the car rolled and hit a tree last Sunday on the Monaro Highway near Cooma in Canberra’s south – killing Samikshya Subedi, 22, and Gopal Bhandari.
Bhattarai was stopped by authorities at the international airport at around 7pm on Friday night, and was arrested as he tried to board a flight out of Australia.
He was charged with seven offences including two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and two counts of cause bodily harm by misconduct.
The Nepalese-national was refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.
Sagar Bhattarai, 22, was allegedly driving when his car rolled and hit a tree last Sunday on the Monaro Highway in Canberra’s south – killing Samikshya Subedi (pictured), 22, and Gopal Bhandari
Ms Subedi, 22, live streamed the road trip with her friends from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains before the tragic crash at around 3.40am on Sunday July 28.
The Queensford College student and Mr Bhandari – who was in the front passenger seat – died after the fully-loaded sedan rolled over multiple times before landing on its roof.
Queanbeyan Police inspector Sandy Green described the horrific scene as ‘life changing’ for emergency services and was ‘absolutely tragic’.
The 22-year-old driver and a 19-year-old passenger suffered non life-threatening head injuries and were airlifted to Canberra hospital.
Bhattarai was stopped by authorities at the international airport at around 7pm on Friday night, and was arrested as he tried to board a flight out of Australia
Another passenger was driven by paramedics to Cooma hospital.
Rishi Acharya, a leader from the Napalese community in Australia, was told by one of the survivors the driver had tried to dodge a kangaroo or a rabbit on the road, when the sedan lost control.
Ms Subedi flew several metres from the car and died immediately at the scene near Rose Valley Road in Bunyan, about 10km north of Cooma.
The parents of Mr Bhandari were left devastated as they struggled to accept the death of their only son, the Canberra Times reported.
Ms Green said high speed contributed to the crash but are still investigating the exact circumstances.
It is unknown at this stage if fatigue was a factor in the accident.
‘It is rather daunting. When I arrived on the scene I was taken aback,’ Ms Green said.
Ms Subedi flew several metres from the car and died immediately at the scene near Rose Valley Road in Bunyan, about 10km north of Cooma
‘This is a life changing situation for all those emergency services, for every person that went past that accident today.
‘I cannot stress enough about driving to conditions and riving to the speed and resting and taking turns in driving.’
Tributes have flown on social media after Ms Subedi died.
‘Can’t believe she is no more,’ Prasanna Subedi wrote.
‘Just yesterday I was watching her live. Rest in Peace and get well soon friends.’
Rishi Acharya, a leader from the Napalese community in Australia, was told by one of the survivors the driver had tried to dodge a kangaroo or a rabbit on the road, when the sedan lost control