PERTH/ The 36-year-old driver responsible for the horrific car crash that claimed the life of a visiting Nepali grandmother inside a Perth home has pleaded guilty in court.

Rhyse Robert Hawkins, a Kewdale resident, formally admitted to the charge of unlawful killing (manslaughter) after losing control of his vehicle under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The devastating incident occurred in February 2026, in Perth’s inner-east suburb of Rivervale.

A Tragic End to a Family Reunion

The victim, 53-year-old Bishnu Kumari Gurung—fondly known to friends and the local community as “Himali Aunty”—had arrived in Australia from Nepal just three days prior to the incident. She had traveled to Perth to spend time with her daughter, son-in-law, and her four-year-old grandson.

According to Western Australia Police, Ms. Gurung was sleeping in the front room of her daughter’s rented unit on Alexander Road when the tragedy struck at around 11:40 PM. Hawkins’ yellow Ford Falcon sedan veered onto the wrong side of the road, mounted a driveway, crashed through a fence, and ploughed directly through the brick wall of the house.

The impact was so immense that neighbors reported hearing a “big bang” that sounded like an airplane had dropped onto the roof. Ms. Gurung was fatally injured in her bed and tragically died at the scene.

Community Heartbreak and Legal Action

Following the crash, Hawkins was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged. Recently, he appeared in court where he accepted full responsibility for his actions, pleading guilty to the charges brought against him.

The tragic death of Ms. Gurung has deeply shaken the Nepali diaspora in Western Australia. Community organizations, including the Gurung Samaj of Western Australia (GSWA) and the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), mobilized immediately to support the grieving family, who were also left displaced due to the extensive structural damage to their home.

Hawkins has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to face court again for formal sentencing in September.