JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The sisters of one of the women who died while driving the wrong way on the Hart Bridge early Monday morning are speaking out about the dangers in the area.
Jaquanna D’Oliveira, one of the people who died, is a triplet and just celebrated her 28th birthday. Her friend Kendra Black was a passenger in the car and was also killed.
D’Oliveira’s surviving sisters spoke with News4Jax about her and the conditions of the roadway that might have led to the accident.
The sisters of Jaquanna D’Oliveira said they believe it was a senseless tragedy and they point to the construction underway at the Hart Bridge. They said it’s confusing for drivers who could end up going the wrong way on the bridge.
Her sisters say the loss is just too much to take.
“That is like my other half. That is my best friend. She was my support to me and my other sister and her niece and nephew. She loved everybody, she was a kind person, and I miss her so very, very much,” Laqueta D’Oliveira said.
Her other sister Shaquanna is still very shaken and says the love for her sibling is very strong.
“Everybody that knew her knew she would give her last to anybody. She was very caring. She cared about everybody, she would not do anything wrong,” Shaquanna McCrory said.
The sisters are concerned about what happened. They both noticed the entrance and exit ramps from the Hart Bridge are confusing near TIAA Bank Field and they believe the lack of signage indicating someone is going the wrong way was a contributing factor in her death.
“I actually do believe that it was a terrible and honest mistake,” Laqueta D’Oliverira said. “Anybody could of mistaken for that, anybody.”
That is why other family members were out at the site of the crash on Tuesday warning other drivers and confronting the contractors about the confusing signs.
“I just want justice. I just want justice. She shouldn’t have died,” Shaquanna McCrory said.
While some small changes were made Tuesday regarding signage, News4Jax is checking with the city to see if there are any other changes planned.
The sisters just don’t want to see this happen to anyone else.
“We came into this world together. That is my other half. It’s not going to be the same. It’s not going to be the same after this,” Laqueta D’Oliverira said.
For the other woman killed in the accident, Kendra Black, News4Jax reached out to her family and right now they are grieving privately.