Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Deborah Rubens, the woman injured in a car collision with Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin over two years ago, has died.

Rubens passed away this week after a long battle with cancer.

At 5:40 a.m. on April 21, 2010,  Benjamin's SUV collided with her car at the corner of Pickens and Gervais Streets near downtown Columbia. At the time, Rubens was headed to her job as a waitress at the Clarion Townhouse Hotel; Benjamin, who's been elected as mayor the night before, was on his way to a t.v. interview at WLTX.

Rubens was severely injured in the incident, and spent approximately six weeks in the hospital. She never was able to return to work.

Benjamin suffered no serious injuries.

A traffic collision report by the Columbia Police Department led to a ticket for Benjamin for driving without his headlights, and to Rubens for operating an uninsured vehicle.

Benjamin says he visited Rubens multiple times after the collision. He released a statement Thursday saying, "Deborah Rubens was a good lady and a great friend."

"I had the wonderful pleasure of spending her last birthday with Deborah, her family and friends and to witness firsthand the unconditional love, strength of faith and the importance of community in her life.

"When her family called last week to inform me that she'd taken a turn for the worse, our family went into immediate prayer and we remain there."