Police: Driver strikes and kills FAU alumna in Boca Raton
Sowmya Gudla, a Florida Atlantic University (FAU) 2023 graduate hailing from Telangana, India, died on May 26 after being hit by a car while crossing a road in Boca Raton.
The fatal pedestrian crash occurred on the 6500 block of North Military Trail – near the Mizner Court Apartments, according to a Boca Raton Police Department (BRPD) press release on May 28.
The press release stated that Gudla was struck at approximately 9:30 p.m. by Alexander Kargin Utkin, a 56-year-old man driving a 2023 Volkswagen traveling southbound on North Military Trail. His vehicle struck Gudla as she crossed the roadway midblock.
According to the report, Gudla was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced deceased. The driver, Utkin, was not injured or charged as the BRPD’s Traffic Homicide Unit is still investigating the crash.
The 25-year-old woman graduated in fall 2023 with a Master of Science from FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. Gudla’s cousin, Tarun Pagidipalli, created a GoFundMe to help her family financially during this difficult time and to assist with her outstanding student loans. Donors have raised $46,820 of the $120,000 target goal as of May 29.
“[Gudla] had just begun to embark on her professional journey, with dreams of easing her family’s financial burdens and repaying her student loans,” the GoFundMe page stated. “She aspired to build a successful career that would not only secure her own future but also provide stability and support for her loved ones back home.”
Gudla’s family has appealed for assistance in bringing her body back to Telangana, an Indian media outlet reports.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Laurie Mermet is the Student Life Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email lmermet2022@fau.edu or DM laurie.mmt on Instagram.
Michael Cook is the News Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email cookm2021@fau.edu.
Latest University Press
- Men’s Basketball: Analysis of international freshman recruitsThe game of basketball has been globalized more than ever before. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has reported that there are 125 international players on opening-night rosters for the 2024-2025 season, including the last six Most Valuable Players of the league. During the 2019-2020 season, 14.7% of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s...
- Homecoming Hype Up: Promoting spirit and domestic violence awarenessFAU celebrates the beginning of 2024 Homecoming week with an event aiming to bring awareness to domestic violence.
- ‘Owls in Israel’: Hillel’s Israel trip sees drop in student turnoutEditor’s note: Michael Cook, the News Editor at the University Press, attended this year’s trip to Israel and edited this story. Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach at Florida Atlantic University and at least one other state university noticed less interest in their annual trip to Israel for campus student leaders. Hillel, an organization that...
- Baseball: FAU unveils state-of-the-art indoor training facilityFlorida Atlantic University’s baseball program took a significant step forward with the unveiling of its brand-new indoor training facility in September. The facility is equipped with tunnels and a turf area, addressing the long-established need for an indoor space that can be used year-round. The project has been two years in the making and became...
- ‘You don’t have to do it alone’: FAU sheds light on domestic violenceFlorida Atlantic University has been lighting up the Boca Raton campus this October in purple, the nationally recognized color for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to offering resources and education to prevent domestic violence, which is an abusive behavior that typically occurs within families or relationships, as defined by Katherine Cascio. Cascio,...
- Women’s Basketball: FAU introduces male practice players for the 2024-25 seasonIn the fall, Florida Atlantic University Women’s Basketball made multiple social media posts asking for male practice players to help elevate their game for the upcoming season again. The team picked up a few players to help them practice and prepare for their season in September. Each practice player on the women’s team is a...