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IRVINE : Pastor Recuperating After Car Accident

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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.

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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.

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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.

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