DURANGO, CO (February 22, 2011) – Rodney Beavers, executive pastor of Westmoore Community Covenant Church in Oklahoma City, and his wife, Cindy, are hospitalized in critical condition after a semi-tractor truck slammed head on into their vehicle Monday night, reports Garth Bolinder, superintendent of the Midsouth Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
The couple’s 18-year-old daughter, Morgan, and 12-year-old son, Preston, were treated for minor injuries and released from a Durango hospital, Bolinder says. The Beavers were on a skiing vacation with at least one other family from the church.
The accident occurred around 10:30 p.m. when the truck lost control of its brakes on a mountain highway downgrade near Wolf Creek Pass and hit the Beavers’ vehicle, pushing it back 100 yards, said Cunningham. “A friend saw the vehicle and said it was a miracle that anyone was alive,” he added.
Rodney was flown by helicopter to St. Anthony’s Hospital Trauma Center in Denver. He suffered multiple broken bones in his face, chest, and arms, as well as bleeding on the brain, said Paul Cunningham, Westmoore’s senior pastor.
Cindy remained in critical condition at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango. She suffered a fractured skull and punctured lung. She underwent surgery today to remove part of her small intestine, according to Cunningham.
Cunningham and his wife, Robin, were traveling to Colorado today to be with the family.
“Rodney was one of the first people Paul invited to his new church plant when Paul was walking neighborhoods more than 15 years ago as a church planter,” Bolinder said. “Rodney came to faith in Christ, was discipled by Paul and eventually came onto the staff at Westmoore several years later.” Rodney worked as a banker before joining the Westmoore staff.
Covenant News Service will publish additional information as it becomes available.
