Woman charged in accident that closed section of highway

A Tonawanda woman has been charged in an accident that closed a portion of the westbound 290 expressway for an extended period on Saturday.

Forty-three year old Mary Wasinger faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident, imprudent speed and following too closely after she struck the back end of another vehicle and pushed it into a utility pole. Downed power lines caused the closure of the highway.

Police are investigating, but it is thought that Wasinger might have fallen asleep at the wheel.