'Beautiful soul': Takapau crash victim collided with experienced truck driver on his first day with new company

Jessie King-Hazel, 23, died when her car collided with a truck and trailer. Photo / Facebook

A young Central Hawke's Bay woman who died in a crash near Takapau on Monday evening is being remembered as loving, kind and warm-hearted, with a friendly smile and bubbly personality.

Jessie King-Hazel, 23, died when her car collided with a truck and trailer unit on State Highway 2, just south of Fraser Rd, just before 5pm. Jessie's two dogs, travelling with her, also died.

SH2 was closed both ways following the cash, opening at 2.30am on Tuesday morning.

Jessie's close friend Siobhan Wilson said "It's still raw for everyone. But if I had to describe Jessie I would say she was a beautiful soul inside and out and brought such a bright a colourful aura into everywhere she went.

"She spent every day putting other people before herself, including being the reason I ended up with my current partner with our beautiful children, who I now live such an amazing life with."

Wilson said Jessie was particularly close to her mother.

"Her Mum was her best friend. I never knew of anybody else that was as close to her."

Jessie was just three weeks into a new job at Waipukurau's Pukeora Trust, a home for people with physical disabilities.

Jessie King-Hazel has been remembered as a selfless and kind-hearted young woman. Photo / Facebook

She had already made a positive impression on staff and residents, one of whom took to Facebook to say "I was immediately drawn to your friendly smile and bubbly personality, but the thing that made the biggest impression was your kindness, caring and compassion that you showed to others."

She had previously worked at Z Windsor in Hastings, a popular staff member "whose smile lit up the Windsor Z".

The Stephenson Transport truck and trailer involved in the crash came to rest in a farm paddock and was later removed by a transporter.

The driver sustained a broken wrist.

Stephenson Transport owner Bruce Stephenson said it was the driver's first day with the company.

"He's very capable and experienced with stock trucks but this has shaken him. He's out of hospital and keen to get back to work but he is very traumatised by what has happened.

"It's an incredible shame and we feel very sad for the family."

The Serious Crash Unit is still investigating.

A service for Jessie King-Hazel will be held at Stonehaven in Waipukurau on Saturday at 11am.