3-year-old in critical condition after mother killed in 3-vehicle collision: Durham police

A three-year-old girl is in critical condition after her mother was killed in a three-vehicle collision caused by an impaired driver in Oshawa, Durham police say.

Durham Regional Police said they were called to Raglan Road west of Thornton Road around 10:20 p.m. Saturday night with reports of a collision.

Officers said the 43-year-old Richmond Hill woman and her daughter were passengers in a grey Toyota SUV when the vehicle drifted, sideswiping a Toyota Corolla before spinning out of control into the path of a Jeep.

Police said they arrested the driver of the SUV on the scene for impaired driving. The woman had no vital signs and was transported to hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Her daughter sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Sick Kids Hospital.

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Global News spoke with two women, Gillian Bickerton and Sarah Ruttenbern, who witnessed the aftermath of the crash and tried to help out the mother.

WATCH: Mother killed, 3-year-old in critical condition after crash caused by impaired driver 

1:59 Mother killed, 3-year-old in critical condition after crash caused by impaired driver

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“She was so squished, compacted in the car because it was direct to her door, we couldn’t really do too much,” said Bickerton.

“The way the car was in the ditch, I was literally having to climb up onto the car to be even able to check her pulse.”

Bickerton said the 3-year-old could be heard crying in her car seat and the driver was already out of the vehicle.

“It smelled as if there was alcohol on his breath,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It smelled as if there was alcohol on his breath," she said.

Police said the people in the two other vehicles sustained minor injuries. The investigation is ongoing.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Durham Regional Police at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5231 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

— With files from Matthew Bingley