A teenage driver who crashed a Honda Accord last month, killing three students, has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, Fulton County jail records show.
Rithwak Somepalli, 18, of Cumming, was also charged with reckless driving. He was booked into jail Tuesday, according to online records.
Shortly before 8 p.m. May 14, Alpharetta officers were called to a wreck on Westside Parkway just north of Maxwell Road, police said. There were five people — all 18-year-olds — inside the vehicle when it crashed, and two were killed at the scene.
Aryan Joshi and Sriya Avasarala died from their injuries, officials confirmed.
A third person, Anvi Sharma, died at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, where two others were also treated and later released, according to police.
After the crash, investigators said speed was a likely factor.
“Based on evidence at the scene, it is believed that the driver lost control of the vehicle which then came to rest upside down in the tree line,” police previously said. “The investigation remains ongoing; however, from the initial data gathered it is believed that speed may have been a factor in the crash.”
Avasarala and Sharma were both University of Georgia students and Joshi was an Alpharetta High senior, days away from graduating.
Avasarala was a member of the UGA Shikaari dance team, and Sharma sang with UGA Kalakaar, an a capella group, the organizations said in Instagram posts.
The Alpharetta High cricket team honored Joshi in an Instagram post, saying he was caring and kind.
“He was one of our biggest supporters and his support was one of the most crucial factor in all our wins,” the team posted. “You will be missed, Aryan. Our condolences go out to Aryan Joshi’s family and the other victims of the crash, Sriya Avasarala and Anvi Sharma.”
About the Author
