A woman killed in a wrong-way crash in 4S Ranch area of San Diego was a mother of a 4-year old daughter and loved to help others.
Sarita Shakya, 38, worked as a nurse for Scripps Health. She died after a driver going in the wrong direction on westbound Camino Del Norte crashed into her car head-on Saturday night.
Some drivers said the road where the crash occurred is usually filled with heavy and high speed traffic.
"That actually looks terrible, it's like a highway exit. You have a ramp, you have the speed, you don't have a very clear vision to the other side," said driver Yong Li.
Shakya leaves behind her 4-year old daughter.
"Her daughter and my daughter, they are the same age similar age they play together," said neighbor Xinjie Ge. "She is so nice."
"There's a little girl who's 4-years old, she doesn't have a mom anymore and she was so close to her mom," said Shakya's friend Simona Gieselman. "Like her mom, the little girl is very, very smart...so we will take her place for her."
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Friends and neighbors say the mother was always devoted to helping people.
NBC 7 first met Shakya in May, 2015 at Lindbergh Field where she handed out scarves signifying good luck to the Scripps Health Medical Response Team. The team had returned to San Diego after providing earthquake relief to victims in Nepal, Shakya's native country.
"She's constantly helping people and was being a good person," said neighbor Christina Macier. "Good soul, good aura. Just warm."
Neighbors told NBC 7 that Shakya was likely on her way back from her night shift at work when the crash happened. She took on the night shift so she could spend more time with her daughter, neighbors said.
They added that they will do what they can to her Shakya's daughter and husband.
On Monday, Shakya's family released the following statement:
"She was a beloved wife, mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister and sister-in-law to all of us. She was an inspiration to all who knew her. Her joy, beauty and enthusiasm for life were heart-warming. She will be greatly missed."
The driver, identified as 34-year old Alexandria Bayne suffered major injuries in the crash, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). She was placed under arrest pending charges of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter.
