A 29-year-old mother died in the presence of her shocked uncle after her vehicle was struck by a car on Highway 27 in Etobicoke.

Sadaf Iqbal's uncle was in a nearby parking lot when he heard the crash Sunday night. He ran to help, but had no idea his niece was inside the smashed car -- along with her husband and two children.

"I didn't realize until I saw people pulling (people) out and I saw my niece, her daughter and seven-week-old child," Tarique Kasim told CTV Toronto. "They were in really, really bad shape."

Kasim said he watched helplessly as Iqbal took her last breath. Her six-year-old daughter, who had been in the back seat of the Honda Civic with Iqbal, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The girl is still fighting for her life.

Iqbal's husband, 33, and seven-week-old son suffered minor injuries.

The collision occurred at about 11 p.m. on Highway 27 and Vice Regent Blvd.

Police said the suspect in the crash ran first to a cab and then to a nearby banquet hall and tried to mingle with guests before he was apprehended.  It was the same hall where the Iqbals had been celebrating Eid, a Muslim holiday.

A 45-year-old Toronto man was arrested. Igor Kresko faces the following charges:

  • criminal negligence causing death
  • impaired driving causing death
  • failure to stop an at accident scene causing death (two counts)
  • criminal negligence causing bodily harm
  • impaired driving causing bodily harm
  • dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

Kresko made a brief court appearance on Monday afternoon and was remanded into custody.

No allegations against him have been proven in a court of law.

Outside court, the dead woman's mother showed her grief.

"Look what he did. Look what he's done," cried Rukhsana Aziz. "He's destroyed our family."

With a report by CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney