Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

Woman killed in Coral Springs was an elementary school teacher there.

- By Linda Trischitta Staff writer ljtrischit­ta@sunsentine­l .com, 954-356-4233

A woman who died when her car collided with a stolen car driven by a teenager was an elementary school teacher in Broward County, the school district confirmed Wednesday.

Christiann­e Weiner, 53, of Parkland, taught fourthgrad­ers at Coral Springs Elementary School. Her students and colleagues will be offered grief counseling when they return to class on Jan. 9, the district said. Meanwhile, a passenger who was riding in the stolen Toyota Corolla was arrested, and the 17-year-old driver faces a vehicular homicide charge, among other offenses. The Corolla had been reported stolen from Miami Gardens. Its license plate triggered an alert when picked up by surveillan­ce cameras in Coral Springs, prompting police to investigat­e, Detective Ernesto Bruna said.

As officers tried to stop the Toyota with Eric Abraham, 17, of Fort Lauderdale behind the wheel, it ran a red light on West Sample Road at Northwest 101st Avenue, police said.

Weiner was in a white Mercedes-Benz sedan with her 11-year-old son. She had the green light as she traveled north on Northwest 101st Avenue, Bruna said.

The Mercedes-Benz and the Toyota collided at 10:40 a.m. The Coral Springs Fire Department took Weiner to Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, where she was declared dead, Bruna said.

Her son was flown by helicopter to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. His injuries were not life threatenin­g, Bruna said.

Abraham and his three passengers were taken to Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach. All had serious injuries, according to police. The only other passenger identified by police Wednesday was Tyree Goodwin, 18, of Fort Lauderdale, who was arrested on suspicion of grand theft.

“This is a very serious, very violent offense in which a fatality was involved,” Broward County Judge Michael Davis said while presiding at bond court Wednesday.

Davis set a $3,500 bond for Goodwin.

Abraham was still in the hospital Wednesday, according to the public defender’s office, which had not yet been appointed to represent him. He will face charges that include vehicular homicide; four counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding, causing serious bodily injury or death; four counts of reckless driving, causing serious bodily injury or death; four counts of driving without a license, causing serious bodily injury or death; and possession of a stolen vehicle, according to Bruna.

Anyone with informatio­n, call Officer Derek Fernandes at 954-346-1754.

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