Family Of Woman Killed In Crash: 'She Was A Very Outgoing, Caring, Loving Person'

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LAUDERHILL (CBSMiami) – The family of a woman killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Lauderhill says she was a kind and selfless woman.

"It's still hard to believe," said Ashley.

Ashley is the niece of the woman, 57-year-old Helaine Elize, who was killed near a bus stop on Thursday night.

"We actually came to see her, we were in the area. She wasn't picking up the phone. And we heard about the accident that had happened out front but we didn't know it was her," Ashley said.

Elize and her sister Elsiane Tulisse, here from Haiti to spend the next few months with family, were waiting on the side walk. Elize had the day off and was spending it with her sister.

"They would go out to the mall and to the Swap Shop, just to do stuff," Ashley explained. "They were headed to the mall."

Surveillance video obtained by CBS4 News shows the moments the crash took place on the 1300 hundred block of State Road 7 shortly after noon.

"Witnesses observed two vehicles driving erratically on State Road 7. Subsequently that caused a multi-car crash," said Lauderhill Police Department Lt. Michael Santiago.

After the silver vehicle and black SUV collided, the SUV came barreling down on the sidewalk where Elize and Tulisse were standing. You see them flinch right before the impact, unable to step out of the way.

Elize died at the scene. Her sister and six others were rushed to the hospital and two people were treated on the scene.

"She's still in shock," Ashley said.

Elise's sister had surgery and knows she's lost her sister – a loss felt deeply by this who loved her.

"She was a very outgoing, caring, loving person. Great aunt to her nieces and nephews and a great wife," said Shantale, a family friend. "She always made sure everyone was OK in the family. She did whatever she had to do to make us feel everything was OK."

Police said they're looking for a 2005 Red Dodge Neon, bearing Florida tag HGK-S80, which is described as having a black trunk with black rims.

They say all vehicles involved in the wreck remained on scene with the exception of the Dodge Neon.