Published: January 04, 2008 11:46 pm         

5 hurt in DAV van wreck

Five people were injured early Friday morning when the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 66 van rolled in the 1400 block of South 10th after hitting a bridge abutment, according to an Enid Police Department report.

Paul Rice was driving the 2007 Ford E 350 van south on South 10th when he got too close to the shoulder on the west side of the road, hitting two bridge barriers and rolling the van onto the driver’s side, according to the report.

Rice, 75; Geary Frank, 56; and Roger Bamburg, 61, were treated and released at area hospitals, said Chapter 66 Vice Commander Karl Girty.

Lloyd Bell, 50, was taken to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center for non-incapacitating injuries, and Bessie Bamburg, 59, was taken to Integris Bass Baptist Health Center for non-incapacitating injuries, according to the report.

The van provides transportation services for local area veterans, regardless of their group affiliation, to the Veterans Administration medical facility in Oklahoma City.

Veterans helped by the chapter still will be able to receive transportation for the time being, Girty said. He said he did not know how much insurance would cover to repair the van.

“It’s pretty well totaled,” Girty said. “Right now, we have a temporary van from the Veterans Affairs department in Oklahoma City.”

Girty said there are about 190 local members in the area chapter.

He said the group “more than likely” would begin a fundraiser for another van.

DAV officials received the van in June after Enid and area residents and organizations donated money to replace the group’s previous van, which was several years old and had more than 150,000 miles on it. Major donations came from Northwest Oklahoma Osteopathic Foundation, which gave $3,000, and a woman who wished to remain anonymous who donated $5,000.