Daughter who lost parents in Toronto crash says she forgives BMW driver who hit them

Couple remembered as pillars of community The daughter of a couple killed in a multi-vehicle collision near High Park says she forgives the BMW driver who hit them.

A woman whose parents were killed in a Toronto crash earlier this week says she talked to them on the phone minutes before they died.

Ashley Avila said her mother Fatima Avila and father Valdemar Avila were sitting in traffic on Tuesday when they were rear-ended by a dark BMW.

The crash occurred around 5 p.m. at Spring Road and Parkside Drive on the east side of High Park.

Valdemar, 71, was pronounced dead at the crash scene, while Fatima, 69, died in hospital.

Avila said her parents were born in Portugal and her mother owned Leo Salon on Dundas Street West since the 70s.

"Life was cut short for them," she told CTV News Toronto on Thursday. "They don't get to see my kids grow up anymore. My kids may not even remember because they're so young."

Avila said her parents were stuck in traffic driving to Costco when the crash occurred. She said she talked to them just minutes before about the process of filing a drug prescription at the store.

"Fifteen minutes after that conversation, he was gone," she said.

Police said the 38-year-old BMW driver was travelling at a high rate of speed, but no charges have been laid.

"My dad is very religious and he believes that forgiving is the number one key in life," Avila said. "So, I forgive the driver, but I want him to understand that he took two lives. He took two lives."

The crash started a chain reaction involving five vehicles total, police say. Three other people were injured in the crash but are expected to survive.

"(They) didn't deserve to die this way, not this way," Avila said. "It's heartbreaking."