Police have arrested four men in connection with a clash in Toronto that killed a 29-year-old woman from Scotland.
On April 14, Toronto police officers were called to the Spadina Avenue and King Street West areas to report that a pedestrian had been hit by a vehicle.
Read more: The family identifies a woman killed in Toronto as Erin Joksal, 29, from Scotland
Police said the collision happened around 3:16 in the morning
Police said the woman was “in the southern lanes of Spadina Avenue” when she was hit by a high-speed vehicle.
She was taken to a life-threatening hospital.
Officials confirmed she was pronounced dead at the hospital on Saturday.
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The woman’s family identified her as Erin Joxal of Scotland, who has lived in Canada for eight years.
According to police, the driver of the car – a white Mercedes AMG GT convertible with a red interior – fled the scene.
The suspect’s car was found on Monday by officials.
In a press release, police said three men were arrested on Tuesday.
Police say 41-year-old Sinesha Bogojevic of Toronto, 44-year-old Milorad Nikolic of Mississauga and 37-year-old Zacharias Bilik of Toronto have been arrested.
Officials said each of them was accused of failing to stop at the scene of an incident that caused death, public mischief and obstruction of police.
Sources told Global News that the three defendants were charged in connection with an alleged attempt to hide the Mercedes.
Police said they appeared in court on Wednesday.
According to police, 42-year-old Ertug Direk turned himself in to officials on Tuesday.
Global News has learned that the accused’s name is also Direkoglu.
Police say he was the driver of the car.
He is accused of a dangerous operation causing death, not stopping at the scene of an accident causing death, public mischief and obstructing the police.
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The defendant was also charged in 2014 in connection with an investigation in which York’s regional police seized cocaine worth more than $ 500,000 in the so-called Project Tugboat.
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Police said he appeared in court Wednesday morning.
Officials said the investigation was ongoing, adding that there were believed to be “several other countries that helped the alleged driver” after the collision.
“Subsequent arrests are expected,” the police said in a statement.
Officials are urging anyone with information to contact the police or Crime Stoppers.
Erin’s parents, Rosan and Anthony Joxal, said that when they received the call in Edinburgh that their daughter had been hit by a vehicle in Toronto, it was “torture”.
However, Rosan said she was grateful for the hospital’s reunion around her daughter until they arrived from Scotland.
Anthony Joxal holds the hand of his daughter Erin Joxal in hospital after she was hit by a vehicle in Toronto. Family / Provided
Anthony shared a photo he took at the hospital the morning he said goodbye to his daughter.
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He said the photo helped him get closer to some extent.
Anthony said that when people see the photo, he hopes people know he is responsible for their actions.
“Some selfish, unjust person did something without even having an idea of the (effects) on people.”
He said he and his wife were “devastated”.
“Now we have to look to our future and change our way of life and everything we have to do,” he said.
Read more: Police publish photo of suspect vehicle after fatal collision and running in downtown Toronto
Anthony said their beloved daughter was giving them “heartache” and “pleasure.”
He said Erin would return to Edinburgh every Christmas.
“When she is with us, it is a great joy,” he said. “And that’s the part we’re going to miss so much because we only have to see it once a year.”
He said Erin had “returned to Toronto.”
“She hugged the city,” he said.
Anthony said he works for the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
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“She took a master’s degree from the University of Toronto and there were great things about her,” he said. “It was taken from her, taken from us and taken from all the people who support her. She was in such a great position and it has just been ripped from our hearts and lives. ”
According to Yoxalls, Erin attended a party with a friend the night she was hit. She was returning home early Thursday morning when the collision occurred.
Her parents said that before the incident, Erin had decided to become an organ donor herself. Her donation is expected to help about 20 people.
“Erin was an amazing person,” Roseanne said. “Very bright and very advanced. She would be angry with me if we ended her life, and she would consider all these options an absolute waste. “
Yoxalls said she would stay in Canada for her daughter’s funeral and help clear Erin’s apartment.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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