Christine Whiton, 29, lost her life after her SUV spun out of control on Aquetong Road
By: Gwen Runkle
SOLEBURY Christine Marie Fuentes Whiton, 29, of Lumberville, Pa., was killed March 5 after she lost control of her sport utility vehicle on Aquetong Road, just north of Meetinghouse Road, possibly due to the snowy road conditions from the winter storm that passed through the area.
Services for Mrs. Whiton, who worked as an ultrasound technician at Frankford Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia and pitched in at her family’s Duck Soup Café, in Logan Square, were held Saturday at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, New Hope. Her family also remembered her earlier in the week as both a caring wife and mother who brought joy and humor to all she knew.
Mrs. Whiton was alone while traveling south on Aquetong Road on her way to work. She lost control of her 1998 Jeep Cherokee around 9:45 a.m. while trying to avoid a Ford Econoline van coming out of a private driveway, Solebury Police Officer Steven Meredith said.
The right side of Mrs. Whiton’s Jeep struck the right front of the van, driven by Richard Hockenberry Jr., 40, of Quakertown Pa., in a side-swiping fashion that was "barely even a hit," Officer Meredith said. Her vehicle then headed across the road and struck the embankment and a tree, which caused her vehicle to roll onto its roof and slide back across both lanes of the road, he said.
Mrs. Whiton, who was wearing a seat belt, was fatally injured in the accident and pronounced dead at Doylestown Hospital. Mr. Hockenberry was not injured.
Buckingham Township Police, the Midway Fire Company and Central Buck’s Rescue Squad assisted at the scene.
Over the next week, Solebury Township Police will be investigating to determine the cause of the accident and whether the road conditions Officer Meredith described as "pretty slushy" could have been a factor. At this point though, the police have no other ideas as to the cause of the accident, he said.
At this time no motor vehicle charges have been filed. The case must be "reviewed by the District Attorney’s office to ascertain if anything is going to happen," he said.
March 7, Mrs. Whiton’s family issued a statement: "Tina was a charismatic person who brought joy and humor to all who knew her. She was a devoted wife and a loving mother. By helping people in her job and in her daily life, she was fulfilled. We will miss her."
Born in Doylestown, she lived most of her life in the area. She was a graduate of New Hope-Solebury High School and the Ultrasound Diagnostic School in Philadelphia. She lived in Boulder and Breckenridge, Color., before returning to the borough three years ago.
She is survived by her husband of two and a half years, Ronald Whiton; a daughter, Carly Jean Whiton, 1; her parents, Lino and Carla Braun Fuentes of Solebury; two sisters, Michelle and Jayme Fuentes of Solebury; her paternal grandparents, Lino and Engracita Rivera of Fuentes of Doylestown; her maternal grandparents, Warren and Evelyn Freitag Braun of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; her mother-in-law, Sharon Johnson Huhtala of Suamico, Wisc.; and her father-in-law, Alan Louis Whiton of Sevierville, Tenn.
Burial was at Carversville Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of the Van Horn-McDonough Funeral Home, Lambertville.
Memorial donations may be made to AXA Advisors for Carly Jean Whiton’s education trust, in care of John P. McGinty Jr., 214 Carnegie Center, Suite 110, Princeton, 08540.