A tale of survival has turned to tragedy after a woman who had escaped a car crash unscathed was fatally struck by a vehicle while trying to save her dog from oncoming traffic.
Morabia Siddhi Suresh was a passenger when the car she was travelling in slid out of control on a wet highway in Kentucky and slammed into a concrete wall, local law enforcement officer Scottie Pennington told the New York Post.
Mr Pennington said Ms Suresh and the driver didn’t sustain any major injuries in the crash.
Sign up to The Nightly’s newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Authorities said the 33-year-old got out of the damaged vehicle and opened the back door to check on her dog Penelope, affectionately known as ‘Penny, before the pooch bolted from the car and onto the road.
Fearing her dog would be hit by oncoming traffic, Ms Suresh ran after Penelope but as she attempted to rescue her from the busy highway, she was struck by a Chevrolet Malibu.
Ms Suresh was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from her injuries. Her dog Penelope was also killed in the crash.
The driver of the Chevrolet, 25-year-old Caleb Valentine, is not facing any charges related to the June 8 crash.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, but early reports lead authorities to believe no drugs or alcohol were involved, news.com.au reports.
Ms Suresh was an avid dog lover who worked as a physical therapist in Fremont, California.
She was the Director of Rehabilitation at DPT, according to her LinkedIn profile, and her social media posts often feature photos of her with Penelope.
In February 2025 Ms Suresh donated to Indian charity The Voice of Stray Dogs to celebrate Penelope’s fourth birthday.
“Siddhi, a huge dog lover, absolutely adores Penny and calls her ‘the happiest accident of her life,’” the organisation wrote at the time.
“She cannot imagine life any other way. To share this joyous occasion with our babies at VOSD, Siddhi has sponsored a meal in Penny’s honour.”
