Halton Regional Police are trying to unravel the circumstances that led to a 22-year-old Toronto woman being found early Thursday in the middle of a residential Oakville street with serious injuries.
An Oakville Transit bus driver made the discovery around 1:30 a.m.
The unnamed woman was lying in the middle of Proudfoot Trail, near Dundas Street West and 3rd Line, suffering from what police described as "obvious trauma."
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Paramedics took her to Hamilton General Hospital. She was listed in stable condition, but has still not been able to tell detectives what happened.
The Halton police collision-reconstruction unit is now trying to establish whether she fell from a moving vehicle or was struck by one. The nature of the injuries suggest either scenario is possible, Sgt. Paul Davies said.
Shortly before she was found, the woman and a female companion had taken a taxi from downtown Toronto and were dropped off nearby, where they parted company.
The companion has given police a full statement. She exited the cab first, leaving her friend behind to settle the taxi fare, which is the last known sighting of the victim, Sgt. Davies said.
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Investigators are anxious to speak to the cab driver, who's described as East Indian, in his late 20s or early 30s, with short dark hair and an Indian accent.
His taxi was a white Toyota Camry with dark leather interior, bearing the cab # 2013 or 2310.
"She's serious but stable in a drug-induced state of unconsciousness, which is part of the treatment process," Sgt. Davies said of the woman.
"Her family's going to notify us if anything changes, but the prognosis looks good."
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Ten to 15 minutes elapsed between when the woman's friend last saw her and the time she was discovered by the bus driver, Sgt. Davies said, adding that it is possible that she travelled further in the cab after saying goodbye to her friend.
"If he's got nothing to worry about, we expect him to come forward and give us a statement," he said of the taxi driver.