Local

Honor Guard members recovering after wreck

SCOTLAND COUNTY, N.C. — North Carolina Highway Patrol troopers said a van transporting members of a Fort Bragg Honor Guard was involved in a serious wreck Friday.

Troopers said 10 members of the Honor Guard were injured in the crash and transported to hospitals.

"Several guys in the van were trapped. Several of which had to be extricated, probably a 25-minute extrication," said Kevin Strickland, commander of Scotland County Rescue Squad.

The honor members were on their way to Charlotte to attend a funeral service for Col. Harris Archie Morse at Evergreen Cemetery on Norland Road when they were struck by a logging truck in Scotland County.

Troopers said the van pulled on to Highway 15/501 from Old Wire Road and was struck by the tractor-trailer north of Laurinburg.

Spc. Alex Rolband was called to stand in at the funeral as an honor guard less than two hours before the service started.

"We had just finished getting ready as everyone was pulling up. We talked to the funeral director. They said they were glad we could make it," said Rolband. "Anyone in uniform is a member of the same family so we just hope the best for each other."

Officials said two of the injured were flown to UNC-Chapel Hill and eight others were transported on the ground to Scotland Memorial Hospital.

Three of them are reportedly in stable but critical condition while five others were treated and are expected to be released Friday evening.

The driver of the van, Arthur Horton, was cited for failure to yield the right of way.