Two church vans involved in accident; no fatalities reported

Saturday, March 18th 2006, 11:04 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Two church vans carrying teenagers home to Missouri from a spring-break trip were involved in an accident early Saturday that sent several people to the hospital, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

No fatalities resulted from the accident, OHP Lt. Pete Norwood said, but the driver of a third vehicle in the accident was taken by helicopter to Oklahoma University Medical Center with extensive injuries.

Norwood said several people riding in the vans had serious injuries. He said at least 15 people were taken to OU Medical Center. Passengers in three other church vans, which were traveling in a convoy with the two vans involved in the accident, were taken to a nearby Highway Patrol training center.

Norwood said the accident happened on a stretch of Interstate 35 in north Oklahoma City at 5:21 a.m. He said a car going in the wrong direction hit the two north-bound passenger vans head-on.

The vans were from the Liberty Christian Church in Milan, Mo. Members of that church's youth group were returning from a trip to south Texas.