Workers at a Florida amusement park began dismantling a ride on Wednesday nearly a year after a 14-year-old boy died from the attraction.
Tire SampsonA teenager visiting Orlando from Missouri fell from a 430-foot free fall at Icon Park on March 24, 2022. Sampson’s mother, Nekia Dodd, has been advocating for the ride to be taken down for months since her son’s death and was there Wednesday when the ride was taken down.
“I hate that I have to come down in this situation,” he said at a news conference. “It’s a bittersweet moment, you know. The ride is coming down and I’m grateful for that, but my son isn’t coming back.”
Stephen M. Dwell/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
An attorney for Dodd, Michael Haggard, also announced Wednesday that a settlement had been reached Wrongful death cases Dodd sued the park and ride operator.
Trevor Arnold, a lawyer for ride operator Orlando Slingshot, said they were pleased with the settlement. Neither lawyer provided details of the settlement.
Arnold said ride operator Tire supports efforts to pass the Sampson bill, which aims to prevent similar accidents in the future by blocking Florida attraction operators from making unauthorized changes to ride restraint systems.
In Sampson’s case, investigators found Security sensor Manual adjustments were made to allow for larger riders. Sampson weighed about 380 pounds at the time of his death, but the ride had a 287-pound rider limit, according to the safety manual.
Icon Park, where the ride is located, is also supporting the proposed safety legislation, a spokeswoman said.
“We agree with the goal of ensuring additional due diligence and oversight with mid- to small-attraction operators for ride training, testing and process documentation, which we focus on our own rigorous ride safety protocols,” said an Icon Park spokesperson. “While the freefall ride is not owned and controlled or operated by ICON Parks, as it is a tenant of the property, we agree with the owner’s decision to dismantle the ride and our hearts go out to the family as they witness this important milestone.”
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