Body of Anshul Sharma (30) being flown to India; suspect arrested.
An Indian American was killed and another injured in a hit-and-run crash in Columbus, Indiana, on Sunday evening.
Anshul Sharma (30), a Columbus resident, died on the spot, while Samira Bharadwaj (28), also of Columbus, was injured critically. Both were pedestrians, according to police.
A sibling of Sharma, who lives in Atlanta, has reached Columbus and arrangements are being made to fly the body to India, the American Bazaar has learned.
A 36-year-old Columbus resident, Michael Demaio, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The Columbus Police Department said its officers responded to the incident at 7:15 pm.
“The officers noted that Sharma was deceased and Bharadwaj was seriously injured and receiving treatment from paramedics who were also at the scene,” the police said. “Bharadwaj was later transported by helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. She is currently in critical condition.
The police said witnesses at the scene told the officers that the suspect, who drove red Chrysler minivan, had fled the scene.
Demaio, who officers suspected was impaired, “failed several field sobriety exercises,” the police said
The suspect, who is in now in a county jail, faces a number of preliminary charges, including “failure to stop after an accident resulting in death,” “failure to stop after an accident resulting in injury,” “operating while intoxicated resulting in death,” and “operating while intoxicated resulting in injury.”