Teen allegedly involved in stolen van crash that killed woman in Yonkers dies

Marcus Solis Image
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
wabc

YONKERS, N.Y. (WABC) -- Police say a teenage boy and girl were in a stolen van that ended up slamming into a car in Yonkers last Monday, killing the driver.

The 16-year-old later died at the hospital on Sunday. The 14-year-old girl remains in the hospital.

The innocent woman that died in the crash was identified as 48-year old Sharlene Stinson of Yonkers.

Police say the van, a white 1997 Dodge Ram, had been reported stolen in the area of Warburton Avenue on Nov. 14th.

A 911 call Monday afternoon reported that the van's occupants were breaking into parking meters on Schroeder Street.

According to Yonkers police, officers tried to pull over the vehicle, but the teens did not pull over and continued northbound on Warburton Avenue, where the van struck the Hyundai Sonata being driven by Stinson.

Video revealed that the suspect vehicle crossed over the double yellow line, driving northbound on the southbound side of Warburton Avenue.

No charges have been filed at this time as the investigation continues. The Yonkers Police Commissioner said that so far, they have found no wrongdoing on the part of the officers involved.

Police say the teens, as well as additional suspects not involved at the crash scene, may have been involved in other criminal activity with the stolen van in the recent past.

Stinson, the mother of a young boy, worked at S.A.I.L. at Ferncliff Manor, a school for severely disabled children, as an occupational therapy aide.

"Sharlene was a fantastic educator, someone that always put the children first and their needs first and was selfless in everything that she did in this building, and she was a role model in every single way you can be in education," said Matt Rubinstein, Ferncliff Manor's education director.

She had just left work for the four-mile drive home when the crash occurred. She was pinned in her sedan.

Anyone with information can contact the Detective Division at 914-377-7724.