Trooper charged after head-on crash kills teacher who was a mother of 3, PA cops say

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper has been charged months after allegedly causing a head-on crash that killed a mother of three, officials say.

Trooper Michael J. Brown was driving to work in Tioga County on Feb. 11 when he crossed double-yellow lines in his attempt to pass a vehicle in front of him, Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a Monday, Aug. 21 news release.

His Jeep Grand Cherokee then struck a GMC Acadia being driven by Christine Woodward, a 47-year-old teacher and mother of three, Henry said.

Police said the trooper tried to pull Woodward from her burning vehicle, but he was unable to save her, according to McClatchy News. Woodward died at the scene.

“This case involves the devastating loss of a mother and teacher, made even more tragic because it was entirely preventable,” Henry said in a statement. “We must all remember to practice patience and abide by the laws of the Vehicle Code because, otherwise, we are capable of causing irreparable harm.”

Brown turned himself in Monday, the attorney general said. He was charged with a felony count of homicide by vehicle and five related traffic violations, according to the release. Bail was set at $50,000.

Who was Christine Woodward?

Woodward was an elementary school teacher in the Troy Area School District for 15 years. The district said she was considered a “mother figure” to many students.

“Ms. Woodward has been a caring and valued member of our team for many years and will be missed greatly by staff and students alike,” the district said Feb. 12 on Facebook. “She will be remembered as a dedicated staff member who, over the years, made so many strong connections with whom she encountered. Her passion for education was evident daily. She taught her students with high expectations and great flourish.”

She was a mother to three children, Mason, Evan and Raelyn, according to an obituary.

Longtime friend Cheri Burbage Thomas referred to Woodward as “beautiful inside and out.”

“I just loved the way she was everyone’s mom on the sports teams. She was very involved with sports,” Thomas told the Star Gazette in February. “All three of her children excelled in sports and she loved being there, taking pictures of the kids on the team, cheering them on. She was beautiful inside and out.”

Troy is in northern Pennsylvania, about 190 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

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