IRVINE : Pastor Recuperating After Car Accident

A pastor at South Coast Community Church in Irvine is recuperating at his Colorado ranch after being hurt in an auto accident last week.

The Rev. Robert Shank, 40, suffered a serious head injury in the crash, which occurred just outside Denver Aug. 3 while he and his family were vacationing.

Shank’s wife and two teen-age daughters were also inside the car when the accident happened but suffered only minor injuries.

Pete McKenzie, associate pastor at the community church, said that Shank “is very coherent and knows what’s going on now. . . . It’s very encouraging.”

Medical tests indicated that Shank has no permanent brain damage, McKenzie said. Shank was released from a Denver hospital over the weekend, but McKenzie said he isn’t sure when the pastor will return to Irvine.

Shank suffered a nine-inch gash to the side of his head when the car he was driving hit a road shoulder and flipped over, McKenzie said.

Last week, 950 people attended a special service at the church in honor of the pastor. Several of Shank’s friends from Irvine traveled to Colorado soon after the accident to be by his side, McKenzie said.