Driver avoids jail over road crash that killed Pakistani student Samia Malik

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA — October 2026 - A 20-year-old Pakistani international student, Samia Malik, was killed after being struck by a car while kneeling in the middle of a road in Adelaide, South Australia.

The case has drawn public attention following the court's decision to suspend the prison sentence imposed on the driver.

The fatal incident occurred at approximately 11 p.m. on May 6, 2025, on North East Road in Hillcrest, in Adelaide's north-east. Court proceedings heard that Malik had been kneeling on the roadway for approximately four minutes before she was struck. CCTV footage reportedly showed her hands in a position resembling prayer, although the court was not given a definitive explanation for why she was on the road.

The driver, Ashton Friend, who was 20 at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless use of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident.

According to evidence presented in court, Friend initially did not realise that he had struck a person. He later expressed remorse and apologised to Malik's family.

Judge Anne Barnett sentenced Friend to one year, three months and 29 days in prison, with a non-parole period of eight months. However, the sentence was suspended after he entered a bond requiring him to maintain good behaviour for two years, allowing him to avoid immediate imprisonment.

The case has raised questions and public discussion about road safety, accountability and sentencing in fatal hit-and-run cases.

Samia Malik's death has left her family grieving the loss of a young woman whose life and future were cut short. The circumstances surrounding the tragedy and the court's decision have attracted attention in Australia, Pakistan and beyond.