Cristina Coria was born and raised in Santa Monica, California, and grew
up in a family of police officers who worked for the Santa Monica Police
Department. At the age of 12, Coria lost her father when he was shot and
killed in an unsolved murder. After her father died, her mother raised
her and her four siblings all by herself.
Coria started her career in law enforcement at the age of 14. She was a
Santa Monica police explorer, police cadet, parking enforcement officer,
community service officer, Santa Monica College police officer and then
Santa Monica police officer. She has also worked as a waitress, sales
clerk and as an instructor at the El Camino College Reserve Police
Academy. She also volunteered for the Santa Monica Police Activities
League and taught dance to kids.
Coria has been a police officer for almost 14 years. During this time,
she has gone through two life-threatening experiences. First, she was
nearly crushed to death when she was pinned up against her police car by
another vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver. Second, she sustained an
almost career-ending injury to her left arm after being shot by a murder
suspect during a hostage standoff which occurred on the Santa Monica Pier
on July 4, 2000. She sustained severe bone and nerve damage and was
initially advised by doctors that she might lose her arm. After extensive
reconstructive surgery she was told by doctors that she would never be
able to have full use of her arm again nor return back to work. Through
dedication, determination, faith and perseverance, she beat the odds and
regained use of her arm. In 2001, she returned back to work full duty
patrolling the streets of Santa Monica. After such hardships, she manages
to keep upbeat and continues to have a positive outlook on life.
In addition to patrol duty, Coria has worked as a
technical consultant on the movie "Angel Eyes"
with Jennifer Lopez. She was also on E! Entertainment for
"Red Carpet Confidential" and received a
makeover on the show. She appeared on the Discovery Health
Channel, a Police Rape Awareness video, MTV's "Y2K
Ball" and numerous news programs as a result of being
shot on July 4, 2000.
Coria enjoys playing volleyball, dancing, exercising and
running. She also loves to swim and recently started to
surf. She currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Her
birth date is April 18, 1971.
Cristina Coria - Favorites
Colors - Brown, blue
Scents - Sweet, clean
Flowers - Orchid
Board Games - Pictionary, Taboo
Video Games - Halo, Medal of Honor
Sports to Play - Volleyball, softball, basketball
Sports Teams - Lakers, Angels
Outdoor Activities - Running, skating
TV Shows - THE AMAZING RACE, Desperate Housewives, The Sopranos
Movies - SWAT, Passion of the Christ, Gladiator, Angel Eyes
Actors - Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Al Pacino, Elvis Presley
Actresses - Charlize Theron, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Lopez
Music - Dance, hip hop, big band, salsa
Magazines - Shape, Cosmopolitan, People
Books/Authors - Five Love Languages, Dr Phil's Relationship Rescue
Cereals - Corn Pops
Fruits - Watermelon, mango
Snack Foods - Lay's Potato Chips, Pringles
Cookies - Madelines
Candy Bars - Milky Way
Alcoholic Drinks - Apple Martini
Non-Alcoholic - Lemonade
