A man has been charged over the death of a young Sydney doctor, who was fatally struck by a vehicle while cycling in Sydney’s north earlier this month.
Dr Ann Formaz-Preston, 33, was riding with her cycling club along Mona Vale Road, Pymble, on December 18 when she was hit by a Toyota Corolla and dragged for several metres.
Bystanders and paramedics made desperate attempts to revive the Canadian expat, but she died at the scene.
The 37-year-old driver was arrested at the scene and returned negative results in drug and alcohol testing.
However, on Christmas Eve police charged him with dangerous driving occasioning death, negligent driving occasioning death and not giving his particulars to police.
Police allege the man has refused to provide his version of how the crash occurred – a crime for those involved in road accidents.
He will appear before Hornsby Local Court on February 3.
The man's arrest follows an outpouring of tributes for the promising doctor, who was scheduled to being practising at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital in the new year.
“She was truly a pioneer of medicine and I have no doubt she was destined to change the world,” said her teacher and Sydney Adventist Hospital Clinical School professor John Watson, according to The Daily Telegraph.
“She had the intellect to accomplish whatever she wanted and the personality to win anyone over. She had this bright light about her and a very bubbly personality ... We have lost an incredible person.”
Formaz-Preston and her partner, Christopher Vanneste, were granted permanent residency in 2015, after moving to Australia six years ago so she could begin medical school.
Vanneste told Fairfax the couple were in the process of applying for citizenship at the time of the accident.