A truck hit Sims on Weaver Dairy Road, not far from the Interstate 40 interchange with N.C. 86 where Sims and her husband, Taz Herbert, had camped last year before residents' complaints drew the Orange County Sheriff's Office to remove them.

Sims, 38, had been homeless for years. She said in an interview last year that she was addicted to alcohol and had lost custody of her children at some point. She was convicted of child abuse in 1996.

Chapel Hill resident Amy Crump met Sims recently at a potluck dinner at the Hargraves Community Center. Sims had held Crump's baby daughter Ainsley, danced to an acoustic guitar and talked about how much she missed her own children.

"I just love that little girl," Sims told Matt Carter, one of the dinner's organizers.

Johnnie "D.C." Cooper, who said he lives on the streets and battles drug addiction, said liquor had killed his friend Barbara.

Friends said Herbert was under observation in the UNC Hospitals' psychiatric ward because of the trauma of losing his wife. The couple were constant companions and could be seen from the west end of Carrboro to the East Franklin Street area of Chapel Hill. They built friendships with other homeless people all over the community.

"If she has something, she would share it with you," Cooper said. "A lot of people would take advantage of her because she was too friendly."

The accident is under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the collision should call Lt. Chuck Quinlan at the police department, 968-2760 or send e-mail to cquinlan@townofchapelhill.org.

The town plans to begin construction on a Weaver Dairy Road project that will include a traffic island to force drivers to turn only right into and out of Perkins Drive, where Sims was hit. Police have not released any information suggesting that project would have saved Sims.