Family’s ‘nightmare’ as Damodar Shrestha killed in Melonba alleged hit-run
The granddaughter of a man killed in an alleged hit-and-run in western Sydney received the devastating news when she went looking for the 79-year-old.
Damodar Shrestha was last seen by his family on Sunday night when he went for a walk to help him sleep.
The Nepalese national was on Abell Rd, Melonba, just after 11pm when he was struck from behind by a car that failed to stop.
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Shrestha’s granddaughter Surabhi Shrestha said the family learned of his death hours later when they went searching for him.
Surabhi drove her grandmother to find him when she saw a road taped off.
“My heart just sunk a little,” she told 7NEWS.
When police identified Shrestha as the victim, everything stopped.
“I was panicking ... it was really hard to breathe,” Surabhi said.
“I didn’t know how to process what they were saying.”
Breaking the news to her grandmother was “the hardest moment of my life”.
Shrestha had been in Sydney for only a few months on holiday with his wife to celebrate their daughter’s 25th wedding anniversary.
“It feels like a never-ending nightmare,” Surabhi said.
“Losing him has been really, really hard.”
‘Callous act’
Shrestha’s family is pleading with the person responsible to turn themselves in.
Surabhi’s question for the driver: “Why?”
“If they’d stopped and asked for help, called the ambulance, maybe he would still be here with us,” Surabhi said.
“I just want my grandpa back.”
Police have released CCTV footage of the suspect’s car — a dark-coloured sedan.
“There was no intention to brake or, indeed, slow, and check on the welfare of the jogger ... fairly callous act,” NSW Police inspector Michael Walsh told reporters.
“It’s only a matter of time before we identify the vehicle.”
Blacktown City Mayor Brad Bunting expressed his condolences to Shrestha’s family in a statement on Monday.
He said the council had been in touch with a number of residents about the upcoming build of a new footpath on the road where Shrestha died.
“We have advised them that footpath construction in this area is scheduled to commence soon,” he said.
Investigations into the crash are ongoing.
