Police say that a 46-year-old special-needs teacher killed in a head-on crash with a stolen van Monday was on her way home to see her own little boy.

The chase began Monday afternoon in downtown Yonkers, and ended on Warburton Avenue at the foot of Odell Avenue.



Sharlene Stinson, an assistant occupational therapist for special-needs children, was going home to her son Monday before the crash. The van was driven by a 16-year-old who was attempting to evade authorities, police say.

Police say the driver of the van, who didn't have a license and was known to police, was in the car with a 14-year-old female passenger. They were spotted trying to break into parking meters, according to authorities. Police had already been on the lookout for a white van they believed was stolen and used in an armed robbery an hour before the crash.

Police spotted the van and pursued it, and authorities say the driver began to accelerate.

They say the driver refused to pull over despite lights and sirens. Police recovered a stolen parking meter inside the vehicle after the crash.



Stinson, described as a dedicated educator at Ferncliff Manor in Yonkers, died at the scene.

The officers involved were treated at the hospital for trauma and are now off duty.

Police say there are potential charges against the teens, but they remain hospitalized in grave condition.