MARGATE, Fla. -- It took investigators all day to remove the victim's body, which was trapped under the twisted metal of an 18-wheeler, a power pole and the bus stop.

The victim was the matriarch of a Haitian immigrant clan looking forward to spending the holidays with her family when her life ended suddenly on West Atlantic Boulevard.

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Lormicia Hyacinthe, 60, the mother of eight and grandmother of 13 was sitting on a bus bench when the truck barreled into her.

"They say she's gone, but I don't think she's really gone. I can't believe it. That's really hard to believe because I talked with her last night and then I said I got something that's special for her for Christmas," said Duchange Hyacinthe, the victims' son.

The boulevard was still closed Monday night near eastbound U.S. 441 as crews continued to clear the crash.

Meanwhile, FP&L continued to work on restoring power to about 600 nearby customers, but utility company officials predicted the task might take until 7 a.m. Tuesday

"Attempts to extricate her are being hampered because of the power lines and the equipment that's involved here," said Detective Chip Kolenda of Margate police earlier Monday of the ongoing cleanup effort. "We have to bring in specialized equipment to lift up the flatbed trailer and the cab so that we can get to the victim."

Police said the flatbed tow truck was heading east on U.S. 441 when it veered to right, striking the bus bench and knocking over a concrete utility pole.

Hyacinthe was the only person sitting on the bench at the time, according to police.

Witnesses said she couldn't have had much time to be horrified and must have died instantly. The owner of a nearby diner and his customers rushed in, trying to help.

"I'm disappointed I couldn't do anything to help. That's what it is, I couldn't help the lady," said Manny Fagundes.

"He mows over the bus bench and that telephone pole exploded," said Jeff Lewis.

Lewis said he feels like he cheated death. He was waiting for the same bus but wasn't sitting on the bench.

"I never sit on the bench. I sit back in the shade. It's too hot to sit on the bench," he said.

Police believe the driver, 41-year-old Mark L. Guarino, may have suffered some kind of blackout.

"At this point we are checking to see if it might have been a medical emergency," Kolenda said. "That hasn't been determined at this time. They told me the driver was somewhat disoriented but he did suffer a head injury during the accident."

Guarino is a veteran driver with J & J Towing of Fort Lauderdale. He was treated and released from a local hospital.

Police were still investigating the crash as of late Tuesday night.