JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A witness is shedding new light on Wednesday's two-car crash on the MLK Parkway off-ramp at Phoenix Avenue that left a woman dead.
Although the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has not released the identity of the victim, her family identified her as Kinshasa Simon, 40, who was the mother of three.
A witness said Simon's car was T-boned by a fast-moving truck exiting off the ramp.
Rickie Simon Jr. said his sister Kinshana was a well-known hairdresser in high demand.
"She was always willing to do hair for cost or do it for free if she saw a need," Simon Jr. said. "And that was just a part of her heart."
Hours after the crash, more firefighters arrived at the scene to help crews remove her body from the mangled car.
Traffic Homicide investigators said Simon was driving north on Phoenix Avenue when a pickup truck crashed into her car.
A witness, who asked not to be identified, said he was driving south of Phoenix Avenue toward Simon's car when he noticed a truck speeding off the ramp.
"The truck came through the intersection and hit the car. Six or seven people walked up to the scene and checked on the lady,” the witness said.
But it was too late. Police said Simon was already dead.
Simon Jr. said she left behind three children, ages 7, 13 and 16. He said all three are taking their mother's death very hard.
“We’ve taught them the importance of the word of God and that’s the only thing that’s getting them through,” the brother said.
His sister was a beloved hairdresser who was planning to go back to school to earn a degree in journalism.
“Journalism was her absolute love. She did hair because it was a great job and she earned income, but journalism was her life,” he said.
According to her brother, Simon's life affected many people.
“It’s impacted the family," Simon Jr. said. "It’s impacted friends. It has gotten to the point where some people are in such disbelief that it’s hard for them to function daily because she touched so many lives. She was a sweetheart."
The other driver in the crash has not been identified and investigators have not yet determined who was at fault.