Woman's trip home to WNY turns tragic

DARIEN, N.Y. (WIVB) - South Buffalo native Audrey Gleason has been killed following a head-on automobile accident in western New York on Sunday.  The 55 year-old was a resident of Baldwinsville.  She was in town visiting family, but the trip to visit loved ones quickly turned tragic for the mother of four.

Crumpled metal and shattered glass is all that’s left Gleason’s car Monday morning.  Genesee County Sheriff’s deputies say Gleason, her husband Jack, and their 16-year-old daughter Kelly were in their white SUV when it collided head-on with a red car attempting to pass a stopped car on Route 20 in the Town of Darien Sunday afternoon.

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matthew Fleming said, “The red vehicle was westbound, for some reason, it swerved around into the eastbound lane to pass the black SUV that was stopped to make a left hand turn, at which point caused a head-on collision in the eastbound lane.”

Gleason and her daughter were flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC where the mother was later pronounced dead.  The daughter suffered two broken legs and underwent surgery for a perforated bowel.  Monday morning, ECMC officials say she is in critical condition.  Gleason’s husband was also taken to ECMC where he remains with several broken vertebrae.

The driver of the other vehicle was also taken to the hospital but officials have not commented on his injuries or his condition.