Accident leads to vehicular assault charges

A 28-year-old Newport woman faces vehicular assault charges for causing a three-car crash near Day-Mt. Spokane Road on Friday night, according to the Washington State Patrol. Jennifer C. Ellington was southbound on Newport Highway in a 2007 Chevrolet just north of Day-Mt. Spokane about 6:30 p.m. when she rear-ended a 1998 Mercedes ML320 driven by Albert R. Westover, 41, of Newport, that was stopped at a traffic light, WSP said. The force of the impact pushed Westover’s car into the rear of a 1991 Honda Civic driven by Jamie Cutshall, 18, of Usk, which also was stopped at the light. Ellington and her passengers, a 15-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, were injured in the crash, as was Westover. Ellington was treated at the scene. The others were transported to Providence Holy Family Hospital. Cutshall and her passenger, a 15-year-old girl, were not injured. All three cars were totaled, WSP reported. Troopers said in a news release that drugs or alcohol may have been involved in the crash.