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Obituaries

Rev. David Wilkerson | Church founder, 79

The Rev. David Wilkerson, 79, founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City and author of the best-selling book The Cross and the Switchblade, died Wednesday in a car accident in East Texas, said Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange. His car crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer rig after veering into oncoming traffic on U.S. 175 about 95 miles southeast of Dallas.

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The Rev. David Wilkerson, 79, founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City and author of the best-selling book

The Cross and the Switchblade,

died Wednesday in a car accident in East Texas, said Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange. His car crashed head-on into a tractor-trailer rig after veering into oncoming traffic on U.S. 175 about 95 miles southeast of Dallas.

Mr. Wilkerson founded the nondenominational Protestant Times Square Church in 1987 in an area of Manhattan that was then riddled with X-rated movie houses, strip clubs, prostitution, and drugs. He also founded Teen Challenge, which uses a biblically based recovery program for drug addicts.

In The Cross and the Switchblade, he wrote about his early years in New York administering to drug addicts and gang members. The 1963 book became a best-seller and was made into a movie starring Pat Boone.

His family confirmed his death in a statement posted on the website for Mr. Wilkerson's World Challenge Inc. ministries. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. His wife, Gwendolyn, was also in the car and was wearing a seat belt.
- AP

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