Australian man avoids jail in hit-and-run that killed student kneeling on road to 'pray' | Trending

An international student, 20, was killed after being struck by a car while kneeling in the middle of a road in Australia, appearing to pray, according to a report by ABC News. The driver, Ashton Friend, 20, has avoided immediate jail time after being sentenced over the hit-and-run death of Samia Malik in Adelaide in May 2025.Malik was kneeling on North East Road in Hillcrest for around four minutes before Friend’s car struck her at approximately 11 pm on May 6, 2025, the South Australian District Court heard, as per ABC News. Judge Anne Barnett said CCTV footage showed Malik’s hands in what appeared to be a “praying motion” shortly before the collision.There has been no definitive explanation for why the 20-year-old was on the road that night.Driver failed to stop after hitting studentAccording to a report by the Daily Mail, Friend had been driving home from his girlfriend’s house when he struck Malik. He had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless use of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident.During earlier court proceedings, defence barrister Jane Abbey KC said Friend had not realised he had hit a person. He heard a noise and hoped he had struck an animal or something else on the road, she told the court.Abbey also submitted that the limited damage to his car had contributed to his assumption that he had not hit a person. Friend had checked his rear-view mirror but failed to see Malik, she said.The court heard that Friend realised his involvement after seeing news reports about Malik’s death, which left him in a state of paralysis. Police identified and arrested him a week after the incident.Friend was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was not speeding at the time of the collision, the court heard.(Also Read: Bengaluru traffic police slaps auto driver over accident, viral video sparks outrage)Driver apologises to victim’s familyIn an apology read to Malik’s family, Friend said he could only imagine the pain they were experiencing and expressed remorse for his actions. “I will have to carry my failures with me for as long as I live,” he said.“I am deeply sorry for the life that was lost, the grief and the trauma caused to Samia's family and loved ones. There is no excuse for my actions, or my failure to act - and I should have acted. I do not place responsibility on anyone else; it is mine alone. I take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences. I stand before this court with genuine remorse and a commitment to reflect on, learn from and be accountable for what I have done,” he added.(Also Read: What happened to Alyshia Rushing? TikTok star Mama A's Alabama car accident reports emerge; GoFundMe launched)Court hands driver suspended sentenceProsecutor Frank Niemann noted that other drivers had swerved around Malik in the lead-up to her death. He said that a police car travelling some distance behind Friend had also managed to stop and pull over without hitting her.He emphasised that Friend had not turned himself in after realising he was the driver involved in Malik’s death. Instead, police had to track him down.Judge Barnett sentenced Friend to a suspended term of one year, three months and 29 days, with a non-parole period of eight months. He was also placed on a good-behaviour bond for two years.