PARK SLOPE, Brooklyn (PIX 11) — A Staten Island woman is clinging to life at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital after a car accident in Downtown Brooklyn Friday morning.
That woman, 32-year-old Lesha Joyner, is also facing four charges in the crash that killed her sister, 21-year-old Shanti Joyner, and injured her friend, both of whom were passengers.
According to investigators, Lesha was driving at the time of the accident and has been charged with a DWI, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, operating an unregistered vehicle, and driving while ability impaired by alcohol.
The driver of the car she collided with, 25-year-old Kashawn Croswell, was also charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving an accident resulting in death. Witnesses said he was speeding just before the crash.
PIX11 News spoke exclusively to Jeanette Perez-Joyner, the mother of Shanti and Lesha before those charges came down. She said she wants her daughter Shanti to be remembered as a loving and caring mother.
“I want her to be remembered as who she was,” Perez-Joyner said. “Shanti, fun, smiling. I want everyone to know that she was just a special kid. I am asking God to give me the strength to hold this because it is not easy to see my daughter or have to lay my daughter to rest.”
Shanti leaves behind her 1-year-old daughter Kacei Dream.
