Creekwood woman dies in traffic incident

Wendy Suarez, the assistant principal at Jessie P. Miller Elementary School, died in a traffic accident Friday night.

Suarez, who lived in the Creekwood community with her husband, Frank, was driving alone Friday night to Jupiter to visit her brother when she got lost somewhere in Okeechobee, her husband said.

She pulled off the roadway to determine where she way was, exited her vehicle and was struck.

Suarez had been on the phone with her brother before the incident, telling him she was lost.

She hung up with her brother to orient herself.

After her brother didn’t hear back from her, he became concerned and called Suarez’s husband. Deputies later found her dead.

No further details of the incident are available.

Barry Dunn, the principal at Miller Elementary, said a district support team and grief counselors are at the school all day today.

Flowers, photographs and letters from students decorate a table in the front office.

The school called parents yesterday to let them know about the incident.

“This is an absolute tragedy,” Dunn said. “We are trying to get through the day, week and month so we can return to normalcy in the future.”

Suarez joined Miller in January 2011.

Prior to that, she spent time as a school administrator for Braden River Elementary, Daughtrey, Gene Witt, Palmetto Elementary and Tillman, according to her biography on the school's website.

Her biography states: “I am very proud to be part of the challenging, rigorous student life at Miller and can attest to the tremendous dedication of each staff member here. We work hard every day to help each child find success as a learner, classmate and friend. Our mascot, 'The Storm,' helps us remember each day to be honest, be responsible, cooperate, show self-control and do our best!"

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].