Oklahoma woman charged in Missouri trooper's death

MARSHFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- An Oklahoma woman is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the highway death of a state trooper in southwest Missouri.<br/><br/>Wendye Chesher is accused of hitting Highway

Friday, September 30th 2005, 6:30 am

By: News On 6

MARSHFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- An Oklahoma woman is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the highway death of a state trooper in southwest Missouri.

Wendye Chesher is accused of hitting Highway Patrol Corporal John Sampietro as he stood along Interstate 44 on August 17th. Sampietro was helping an accident reconstruction crew investigating an earlier fatal crash.

Chesher is from the Oklahoma town of Arkoma. The charge against her was announced Thursday Webster County Prosecutor Cynthia Black.

Prosecutors say Chesher failed to yield to an emergency vehicle, failed to slow down and failed to follow an officer's directions.

It was not known if Chesher has obtained a lawyer. A message left at her home was not immediately returned.