The man who was killed early yesterday morning after an alleged drunk driver crashed into the side of his taxi in central Auckland was the "best father there ever was".
Around 4.45am yesterday, the man and a passenger from the car that hit the taxi fled the crash scene near the corner of Alex Evans St and Symonds St.
The police eagle helicopter and dogs helped tracked them down a few blocks away.
Taxi driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed was killed in the incident and leaves behind his wife and five-month-old son.
The 29-year-old was working long hours driving his taxi around Auckland to support his young family and now Ms Abedi's future in New Zealand is unknown due to her not holding a permanent visa, Fairfax reports.
"I knew he had been in an accident. I knew something was up," Ms Abedi told Fairfax.
"He was our world... He was the best father there ever was. He was a really hard working person."
"We were both dependent on him. He was the only one working."
The couple, who had known each other for 17 years, moved to New Zealand so Ms Abedi could study.
After she completed her studies, she fell pregnant and stopped working so she could look after their baby.
Ms Abedi will have to reapply for a visa in February.
Family friend Mustafa Mohammad said, "How's the family supposed to live and pay for a funeral and to get the dead body to India?"
"I hope that driver knows he didn't just destroy one life this morning. There are five or six people whose lives have been destroyed," Mr Mohammad stated.
The alleged drunk driver, a 20-year-old Auckland man was arrested yesterday and charged with driving with excess breath alcohol causing death, driving with excess breath alcohol causing injury and failing to stop and ascertain injury.
The man will appear in the Auckland District Court on Wednesday.
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