The best friend of the 40-year-old woman fatally struck in a hit-and-run in Scarborough Thursday said she’s missing the other half of her heart.
“She was an angel on earth, she shouldn’t be gone right now, she shouldn’t be gone.” said Cecilia Tement.
“We were two peas in a pod. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her. She had the biggest heart, she was absolutely the kindest, gentlest, most amazing woman.”
Her best friend, Karla Groten, died while attempting to cross Kingston Road at Warden Avenue just after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The single mother of two was struck by an supected impaired driver travelling westbound in a Chevrolet Equinox.
Const. Clint Stibbe said the woman was hit with enough force that she ended up about 45 metres from where she was struck. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Stibbe added that the vehicle in question sustained heavy damage. Police also said the car was involved in another collision four blocks away.
The driver involved in that crash was able to get the licence plate. The driver, who allegedly fled from the first crash scene, was arrested a short time later in the Queen Street and Kingston Road area.
Groten and Tement spoke every morning and even multiple times a day, Tement told CTV News Toronto through tears.
Tement said Groten had just left a hair salon when she was struck and that she texted and sent her a photo of her new hair style just moments before she was killed.
The pair worked together at Dr. Roz’s Healing Place, a centre for abused women and children in Scarborough. Fifteen years ago she was a resident there when she herself was a victim of domestic abuse.
Tement said Groten made anti-violence and the empowerment of women her mission in life.
“We used to go out and do speeches about it because we had such a passion for making sure that abuse didn’t happen to other women and children,” Tement said.
“She had a passion for it she always stood up and shouted form the rooftops about anti violence and for her to be taken in such a horrible way. I can’t even; my heart hurts.”
Dr. Roz Roach described Groten as “just a lovely, bubbly human being,” and said she will be someone “we’re going to be grieving for a long, long time.”
“I cannot access my sadness right now, I feel numb. But I can access my anger right now, I feel angry for what has happened and for taking away something so precious from all of us,” Roach said.
On Friday, police announced charges against the driver.
A suspect identified as 28-year-old David Opalka has been charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death, alcohol content of over 80 mg while operating a motor vehicle causing death, criminal negligence causing death, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, failing to stop at the scene of an accident to provide a name and failing to stop at the scene of an accident causing death. The driver appeared briefly in a Toronto courtroom Friday morning where his case was put over until Jan. 3 when he will appear via video link.
