Church mourns 3 in Fairview crash
1 teen in Easter tragedy was sister of girl hurt in '02 Terrell bus accident
09:13 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 13, 2004
By JENNIFER EMILY and TIM WYATT / The Dallas Morning News
A day after celebrating Easter with a joyous evening concert, members of Richardson's Canyon Creek Baptist Church gathered to sing in the sanctuary once more Monday night.
Ronald Christensen This time, though, they came to remember three friends killed in a car crash on their way home from Sunday's musical service.
Ronald Christensen, 48, a deacon at the church, and his 13-year-old daughter, Rachel, died at the scene of the crash in Fairview, just south of McKinney's city limits.
Rebecca Foster, 13, of Fairview died hours after being taken by helicopter to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Mr. Christensen's wife, Elizabeth, 47, was released after treatment at North Central Medical Center in McKinney.
The Foster family has struggled with tragedy before. Rebecca's older sister, Christina, was hurt in a June 2002 bus crash near Terrell that killed four people and injured more than a dozen others as they headed toward a church summer camp in Louisiana.
Rachel Christensen Monday, Christina was expected to testify about the injuries she suffered in a civil trial connected with the accident. Rebecca and Rachel planned to attend the trial with Christina and other family members. A mistrial has been declared in that case because of the accident.
"This is just tragic," said David Schiller, an attorney who represents the Foster family in the lawsuit and is a friend of the Christensen family.
"What can you say to people who were in the same waiting room at the same hospital less than two years ago with their other daughter?" Mr. Schiller said Monday. "This has been difficult for them."
The mistrial was declared at the request of Mr. Schiller, who asked that the Foster family not be forced relive one tragedy while mourning another.
Rebecca Foster Rebecca and Rachel had planned a sleepover Sunday night at the Fosters' home, less than a mile from the crash, said Fairview Police Chief Granver Tolliver Sr.
Both families attended the Easter cantata at the Richardson church. Afterward, the girls went with the Christensens, who stopped by their house for Rachel to pick up clothes before heading to Fairview.
Just minutes from the Fosters' home, Mr. Christensen turned onto Country Club Road from State Highway 5. At the same time a 17-year-old Allen High School student driving on Country Club Road lost control of his sport utility vehicle as it approached a stop sign at the intersection, Chief Tolliver said. The two vehicles collided, and the impact of the crash sliced the Christensens' sedan in half.
Charles and Ruth Foster were waiting at home for the girls' arrival, Chief Tolliver said.
"It's Easter Sunday, you're expecting that your daughter will be home in just a minute," Chief Tolliver said.
Relatives of both families declined to comment Monday.
Relief fund
The Canyon Creek Baptist Church Care Ministry is taking donations for the Christensen and Foster families. Checks may be made payable to Canyon Creek Baptist Church, 2800 Custer Parkway, Richardson, Texas 75080.
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At Monday night's vigil, senior pastor Rick Carter read Bible passages, and the group followed with song and prayer. Many teens stood near the pulpit long after the vigil ended, comforting each other and retelling stories of the two girls, both of whom played volleyball and basketball at the church's private school.
Gregory Ginn, a church deacon, said church officials got news of the fatal crash late Sunday night and rushed to area hospitals to comfort the families.
"They're taking comfort under the wings of God as they deal with this calamity," Mr. Ginn said, who described the Christensen family as actively involved in the church since 1988.
Mr. Christensen taught Sunday school and was actively involved in Baptist missionary work across the globe, Mr. Ginn said. Rachel and Rebecca were described as "good friends," who both attended classes in the church's private school.
"When you came into their presences, they made you feel welcome," said Jami Marion, wife of the church's youth minister. "They would have wanted this to bring people closer to God. That's exactly what they would have wanted."
The crash investigation continues.
No charges were filed against the teen driver of the Isuzu Rodeo, who suffered a broken ankle and cuts in the crash, Chief Tolliver said. A 15-year-old passenger was not injured, and alcohol did not appear to be a factor, he said.
Chief Tolliver said investigators were trying to determine what traffic violations, if any, contributed to the crash.