By John Miehle Captain of Police, retired
I thought the article on Christina Coria was excellent (“In all reality, SM cop is a true survivor,”Oct. 28, page 1.) However, I thought you might like to know the rest of the story.
In 1983, I was a sergeant and the watch commander for night watch. I received the call when Christina’s father, Lou, was shot and killed — a tragic event that we investigated thoroughly. The last information I am aware of is that the shooter fled to Mexico.
A few weeks later, another sergeant was driving by the Coria house and saw Lou’s wife, also named Christina (Chris), unloading shingles out of her station wagon. He stopped and asked what she was doing. The Corias had started an addition to their house just before Lou’s death, and being the woman Chris is, she was going to roof that addition. Here she is about five-foot nothing and about 90 pounds, with all these kids from diapers to age 10, and she is getting on with her life. Had she ever roofed a house? No, but why let details stop her.
I went by the house the same day. I had roofed a house before. I asked Chris if she knew how tough a job that was. I believe her comment was,“No, but it has to be done, so I am going to do it.” That weekend, a group of us finished the job and helped with the other parts of the job.
That began a very close relationship between the Coria family and SMPD. The children suddenly had a whole bunch of surrogate fathers. Chris raised her children, all are fine adults. Chris has always been our biggest defender and cheerleader.
Some 25 years later, on July 4, Chris’s worst nightmare came true, Christina had been shot. I was now a captain, the Operations Office Commander and Christina’s commanding officer. I received the same call and I am sure that my thoughts of 1983 were shared that night by Chris. I arrived at UCLA, mother and daughter were there, as were other officers who had been wounded. I looked at Chris and could see on her face the reminder of that night years before. However, being the woman she is, she remained strong, composed and supportive.
Officer Christina Coria is a good cop and a strong woman. Against all odds and doctors’ opinions, she did return to duty, just as she said she would. Others doubted she could and I might have, but I knew who raised her. In all the years I have known Chris, I have never once heard her complain about what fate handed her in 1983 or any other part of her life. All of the Coria children have these strong qualities passed on by one of the strongest ladies I ever met.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 11, 2006. Read the original PDF.