'It's Pathetic. It Makes Me Sick to My Stomach'

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- "It's pathetic. It makes me sick to my stomach," says volunteer rugby coach Dennis McDonnell.

McDonnell is looking at close to $70,000 worth of stolen wheelchairs dumped on the side of the road in a tangled mess.

"This silver chair right here is a wheelchair rugby chair, the blue frame chairs are basketball chairs," says McDonnell pointing to the different wheelchairs.

The chairs were stored in a white trailer at Brooks YMCA. The trailer was stolen and with it, all of the wheelchairs used for the Brooks Adaptive Sports & Recreation Center program. Buddy Brinson came across the chairs on his father-in-law's property off Jones Road and called it in.

"Times are rough but they aren't rough enough for that. There's kids out there that needs this type of equipment," says Brinson.

The specialized chairs are used for sports like basketball, rugby, and handcycling for the physically disabled.

"They have angled wheels, they may sit higher, they're faster, they're more durable. For the wheelchair rugby chairs, they are kind of like full tanks because it's a contact sport," says McDonnell.

But now all these programs are put on hold. No equipment means no practice.

"It's horrible, it's disgusting. It's taken a blow at an already underserved population, so to further disarm this group through this program is really a shame," says Alice Krauss, manager of Brooks Adaptive Sports & Recreation Center.

"It's appalling. I can't use the words I want because I'm on camera. Total disregard, total selfishness, it's lame," says McDonnell.

The program at Brooks was closed during the Thanksgiving holidays, so the staff is trying to determine when the trailer was stolen.

The trailer is described as a white 24-foot pull-behind, V-nose trailer. There is a dent in the nose and a scratch on the side of the trailer. There may also still be some equipment strapped inside the trailer.

Buddy Brinson says he left his father-in-law's property around 11 a.m. and the chairs were not there. When he returned around 1 p.m. he saw the wheelchairs on the side of the road.

The total amount of equipment stolen is estimated around $100,000.

The Brooks Adaptive Sports & Recreation Center is a free program for all physically disabled people. All the equipment is provided by Brooks at Baptist. For more information on the program call Alice Krauss at 904-910-9738.

If you have any information call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477.) You will remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward.

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