Press trust of India
NEW YORK, Mar 23: Four Indian IT students, including three girls, were killed and another was injured when an off-duty and apparently drunk policewoman crashed her car into their vehicle on a highway in Missouri.
The five, all hailing from Andhra Pradesh and studying for MS degree in information technology in Eastern Illinois University, was returning home on a Honda Accord when the policewoman's SUV, speeding on the wrong lane, hit them head-on in Des Peres, authorities said.
Priya, Anita and Anusha
Four of the students — Anusha Anumolu (23), Satya S Chinta (25), Anita Lakshmi (23) and Priya Muppvarapu (23) — died on the spot while 27-year-old Nitesh Adusumilli, who was driving the car, was seriously injured.
The policewoman, identified as 41-year-old Chrissy Miller, was off-duty from her job at the Sunset Hills Police Department. She is also in a critical condition at St John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, media reports said.
"They had a plan to go to an Indian restaurant and going to bowling alley, and they were returning back to home," said Suren Pathuri, an acquaintance of the victims. He said the bodies of the four victims will be sent to India.
"We do suspect that alcohol may have played a part in this crash on Miss Miller's part," said Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergent Al Nothum.
"The investigation is ongoing," he said.