An 18-year-old woman was killed over the weekend after the car she was a passenger in lost control and crashed as the driver tried to flee Coconut Creek Police, officials said.
The incident began when an officer responded to a call at the Olivine Apartment Complex at 3872 Coral Tree Circle around 12:23 a.m. Saturday, Coconut Creek Police said.
As the officer approached a car on foot with a man and woman inside, he a large glass bottle of liquor in the front center cup holder, and smelled a very strong odor of alcohol and marijuana, police said. The officer also saw a a glass mason jar in the driver's lap full of "a green leafy substance," police said.
The vehicle fled the scene as the officer identified himself, and officers who were in the area spotted the car traveling westbound in the 5400 block of Sample Road, police said. Officers tried to do a traffic stop near the 7600 block of Sample Road but the driver made an improper U-turn and sped off, police said.
The car headed southbound on Rock Island Road at a high rate of speed and officer lost sight of it, officials said. Less than a minute later, the car crashed in the 2400 block of Rock Island Road in Margate.
Officers discovered that the driver lost control and veered into oncoming traffic, where it was struck by an approaching vehicle, officials said.
The passenger in the car, 18-year-old Abigail Espinoza, was taken to Broward Health North where she later died. The driver, 19-year-old Fabreece Ductan, was also hospitalized for non-life threatening injuries.
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The driver of the other car was also treated at a hospital and released.
Margate Police are investigating the incident and officials said charges are pending against Ductan.
