Two Oklahoma Officials To Pay Toll For Soldier's Funeral Procession

Two Oklahoman officials have volunteered to pay $420 so the family of a soldier killed while serving in Afghanistan won't have to pay turnpike fees. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=13332500">Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Planned To Bill Soldier's Family For Funeral Procession</a>

Saturday, October 16th 2010, 1:11 pm

By: News On 6

Two Oklahoma Officials To Pay Toll For Soldier's Funeral Procession

Associated Press

LAWTON, Okla. (AP) -- Two Oklahoma transportation officials will pay the toll for drivers in the funeral procession of a soldier killed in Afghanistan.

State Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley and Turnpike Authority Chairman Doug Riebel will pay the toll for an estimated 300 vehicles in the procession for U.S. Army Pfc. Cody Board of McKinney, Texas. Board was killed Oct. 4 by a homemade bomb.

Services for Board are Saturday in McKinney with burial to follow in Fort Sill National Cemetery in Oklahoma. The procession will travel on Interstate 44 -- a toll road in Oklahoma.

Turnpike Authority spokesman Jack Damrill told The Lawton Constitution that he received about 150 phone calls -- including death threats -- after word spread that the toll cannot be waived.

The toll is $1.40 per vehicle -- $420 for 300 vehicles.