Joshua Smurphat was 12-years-old when he got in line for Drop Tower: Scream Zone, a 224-foot tower that promises a terrifying free-fall for all the thrill seekers at the park. The family feels Joshuas accident is similar to what happened to 14-year-old Tyre Sampson in Orlando. The Oklahoma Department of Labor inspected the ride only two weeks prior to the deadly accident. My sister and I ran right over to him, but it was obvious he was dead. Check your DNS Settings. Although investigators acknowledged that her intoxication may have played a role, the report stated: No matter what physical or mental state the victim was in, the restraints should have been sufficient to keep her in her seat until the conclusion of the ride., Riders Need Warning of Risks, Advocates Say. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. Lyrics to Mack & Ryan Lewis feat. "It sounded like a big kerchunk, like (the sound made) when the harness snaps open or closed when you get on or off the ride.". Joshua Smurphat of Sunnyvale fell from his seat on the Drop Zone Stunt Tower at Paramount's Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara while his mother watched from the ground. Tyres father, Yarnell Sampson, sang with the others. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Santa Clara, CA -- A 12-year old boy fell to his death Sunday afternoon while riding the Drop Zone freefall thrill ride at Paramount's Great America. Joshua's father, Terry Smurphat, filed suit last year against Great America and Intamin Inc., the ride's manufacturer, alleging that negligence and carelessness on their part led to the boy's fatal fall. Santa Clara, CA -- A 12-year old boy fell to his death Sunday afternoon while riding the Drop Zone freefall thrill ride at Paramount's Great America. This Walking Pad treadmill made getting 10,000 steps a You can still overpack the smaller Monos check-in suitcase, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). For that 175-pound guy that theyre designing rides for, the risk is very low. He says: "it has two independent locking devices, and the shoulder restraints are monitored. THE DISAPPEARANCE of 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari remains an unsolved mystery 70 days after she vanished from her home in Cornelius, North Carolina. Another boy slipped out of his seat on a drop ride and fell to his death 23 years ago in California. The family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Darien Lake after state officials announced that the park was to blame for Hackemer's death since the ride did not clearly state that people without legs cannot ride the roller coaster. The friend, Jay Lingenfelter, 35, also said the accident seemed to occur when the ride's magnetic breaking system engaged more than halfway down the tower. These arent the memories you think youll walk away with," OLeary said of the tragedies. Once the chairlift stopped (caused by an electrical fault), the operator was meant . On August 7, 2016, a horrific accident at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City left the world stunned. Guyton had apparently wandered into the restricted zone accidentally. Park officials declined to comment because of the pending lawsuit but made the safety changes before reopening the ride. Additional troubleshooting information here. "You dont mentally associate amusement parks with tragedy. Sure, they throw around statistics claiming that only one in 24 million people are at risk of being injured on a ride, while the odds are a staggering one in 750 million to be killed on a ride. 2000-02-10 04:00:00 PDT SOUTH BAY -- The mother of Joshua Smurphat, the 12-year-old Sunnyvale boy who fell to his death last summer at Paramount's Great America, has filed a lawsuit accusing the Santa Clara theme park of negligence. Lassiter was rushed to the hospital where doctors reattached her right foot. "His mother came over in hysterics and kept yelling, 'Why didn't they put the bar down? But Sampson isnt feeling really happy, as he stands outside the attraction on International Drive. Joshua Lee "Josh" Smurphat found in 4 trees View all. Smurphat filed a lawsuit against the park, alleging that they left four unsupervised youths to run the 207-foot free-fall thrill ride and disregarded calls for the installation of a safety strap between the ride's seat and the harness. One of the youths had been an employee for about a week, and another had encouraged passengers to ride the Drop Zone with an improperly secured harness, according to the complaint. Officials didn't have a hometown for Fan but said he lived on Long Island in New York. Joshua (left), on a safer merry-go-round. Jay Lingenfelter, a family friend who was seated next to Joshua, said the safety harness was not checked before the ride began and he heard a sound like when the harness snaps open just before the boy fell. Christopher fell onto another track on the ride and was fatally struck by more than one car. In 1984, at Cedar Point, a 5-year-old boy named Patrick Camp was riding the Cedar Creek Mine Ride with his father when he was suddenly thrown from the ride. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Terry Lee Smurphat (1958 - 2013) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Gary Winslow, who was waiting in line for the ride when Joshua died, told SFGate in 1999 he "saw the bar fly up after the ride started braking to stop.". Please contact your hosting provider to confirm your origin IP and then make sure the correct IP is listed for your A record in your Cloudflare DNS Settings page. Kimi Yoshino is the former manager editor of the Los Angeles Times. ORLANDO, Fla. - Tyre Sampson would have turned 15 years old on Wednesday. It was August 1999 when OLeary lost her little brother. Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect His father and local leaders gathered outside the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park where he fell to his death with balloons and a message. It seems that the restricted area of roller coasters are just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than the rides themselves. I will never get that sound out of my head Just before the fatal ride, a computer that helps operate the Drop Zone displayed an error message, forcing park officials to close one of the ride's cars. She was taken to Miami Valley Hospital with did not survive. Greg Sanders, ride maintenance manager for the park, said the harness is electronically operated and can be lifted only after the ride has stopped at the bottom. His father and local leaders gathered outside the Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park where he fell to his death with balloons and a message. On Sept. 21, Lori Mason-Larez was riding Perilous Plunge, billed as the worlds steepest and highest flume water ride, with a 115-foot drop at speeds of up to 50 mph, when she fell to her death. Both the company and the park have denied responsibility. "When the vehicle is in motion, there is no way to unlock it," he said. Mancini, the Mason-Larez attorney, said that if manufacturers are aware of risks to heavy people, riders should be informed. The small child attended the Hi-Speed Race Karts race track with her family and was riding in a go-kart with her mother when the fatal accident occurred. Tripadvisor names the world's top 25 beaches, three in the U.S. Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". Last August, a preliminary investigation by park inspectors and police ruled out mechanical error. However, due to the owners negligence of the terrifying reverse-bungee ride, Charron was entering a ticking time bomb. The other boy apparently jumped to safety on an emergency platform. Unfortunately, on August 23, 1999, a 12-year-old boy from Sunnyvale, California, named Joshua Smurphat slipped out of the ride's safety harness and fell 207 feet. More than a dozen witnesses have already been interviewed, and about five or six people called the police department yesterday to tell what they saw. On August 23, 1999 a strange and terrifying incident occurred at Paramount's Great America amusement park in Santa Clara. Attendance seemed to be normal, he said. An independent investigator as well as the formal park investigation concluded that Tamar standing on the ride was what allowed her to fall out. We need to get the information out on the table, said park safety advocate Kathy Fackler of La Jolla, founder of SaferParks. OLeary says in both cases, the boys were strapped in only with a shoulder harness no additional belt. Park officials, in a written statement, declined to comment on that accident. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid There was a horrific scene at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in the summer of 2007 that left many people wondering if they would ever return to another amusement park. I think about it all day. We simply don't know what happened.". The Smurphat family says officials added a safety strap to the ride Joshua was on after his death. The three Intamin accidents occurred on different types of rides at different amusement parks and involved different restraints. #inline-recirc-item--id-91e18158-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91e18158-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { ", He said he will do everything he can to fight to get the Orlando FreeFall shut down and removed from ICON Park. "I was standing five feet. Additional troubleshooting information here. Four rides including the Superman ride were closed due to the horrific scene in the park. Joshua Smurphat of Sunnyvale somehow slipped out of his Drop Zone car while 50 to 100 feet above the ground Sunday afternoon. According to the park this is the first serious accident on this attraction, which is one of the most popular rides at the park. Morec said the Police Department may hire an independent consultant to determine how the child could have fallen. The familys attorneys also said ride operators were not vigilant in securing Mason-Larezs seat belt and lap bar. Witness Tammy Matczak described seeing the two bodies fly into the air. The Sunnyvale boys family has filed a lawsuit against the park and Intamin, contending that the shoulder harness was not in a locked position and that the rides design allows it to start even if the restraints arent secured. She was taken to Lake Medical Center where she later died from internal injuries suffered from a crushed pelvis. How can Britain justify ploughing on with HS2 while up to our neck in debt? Joshua Smurphat was 12-years-old when he got in line for Drop Tower: Scream Zone, a 224-foot tower that promises a terrifying free-fall for all the thrill seekers at the park. ORLANDO, Fla. - Another boy slipped out of his seat on a drop ride and fell to his death 23 years ago in California. People flock to these theme parks because they want to experience something extreme, but also something safe. You associate them intuitively with happy family days, fun, and memories. That would have prevented my brothers death," she said. What's New The lady was allowed to ride the ride by the instructions that we were given by the manufacturer, Falfas said. Ryan had gone to Worlds of Fun amusement park with a group of friends the day of the fatal accident in 1995. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Thrill Ride Harness Opened In Fatal Fall, Witnesses Say / Sunnyvale boy dies in plunge at Great America, Thrill Ride Death Probe Expected to End Soon, 12-year-old Joshua Smurphat of Sunnyvale died when he fell off Paramount's Great America Drop Zone Stunt Tower in Santa Clara. Failure Analysis is the only organization other than the park itself that regularly checks the rides -- but that may change under legislation passed by a state Senate committee yesterday. Unfortunately,. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. ", A large bouquet of daisies and irises, set around a smiling portrait of the boy in a New York Mets baseball uniform, was left at the entrance of the park last night by relatives. Rosa Ayala-Goana Esparza was 52-years-old the day that she tragically died on the roller coaster called "The Texas Giant" at Six Flags. I knelt down right there and said a prayer.". The accident occurred on "The Superman Tower of Power" which is essentially a free-fall thrill ride about 200-feet high. Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. "We've had phone calls from people who were affected by the accident Sunday, and we have reassured them about the safety of the park," said Chanaud. "Maybe cause it's a color issue, that's why the. "A young man lost his life. "A secondary safety system will hopefully prevent a death. "Frankly, it takes you back. On the Drop Zone, riders sit upright, feet dangling, in six separate four-person coaches, with each person locked in by a shoulder harness. Both Intamin and park officials have denied responsibility. Company officials blame rider and operator error. Orlando Weather: Storm alerts, live interactive radar, forecast, and more. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Joshua Smurphat's fatal fall at Paramount's Great America amusement park in 1999 was caused by a malfunctioning harness on a drop tower ride. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. An article in the LA Times states that the boy had traveled to the park with a church group and acted alone in the tragic accident. In August of 1999, Joshua Smurphat, his mother and his friends went to the Paramount Great America amusement park in Santa Clara California, for a day of excitement and thrills. Prior to this fatal accident, a groundskeeper at Six Flags Over Georgia was also killed in the same restricted area of the Batman ride. In June 1991 Candy Taylor, 32, a widowed mother of two, died after falling from the Flight Commander, a simulated airplane flight, at Paramounts Kings Island amusement park in Ohio. The Orlando Slingshot Group released this statement regarding a memorial: "We continue to cooperate with all inquiries, and it is our hope that one way Tyres name and memory can live on is through the proposed Tyre Sampson Bill, which we support. This led to one train slowing down and being struck by the train behind that was traveling approximately 50mph. The boy dropped over 30-feet to the ground and fractured his skull. AP Photo/family photo. In documents released by the state, the general manager of Funtime, the manufacturer of the Orlando Freefall ride writes about seat and shoulder restraint. In two of the cases, the riders weighed about 300 pounds or more. His name was Tyre Sampson, which was my son, my only child.". In the third case, a 12-year-old mentally and physically disabled boy died after slipping from a roller-coaster car that free-falls 22 stories. The boy was not riding the Batman roller coaster at the time of his death; he was instead struck by the coaster after he entered the restricted zone of the ride. Rides should be designed to withstand all foreseeable circumstances--to include unconsciousness, wiggling and obesity, Dodge said. "It's not going to make me feel any differently about what happened. His mom saw it all. New York state inspectors from the Division of Safety and Health ordered the park to restrict the size of passengers allowed on that ride and to add seat belts as a second form of restraint. In the third accident, Joshua Smurphat, a mentally disabled 12-year-old, died in August 1999 in a fall from the Drop Zone Stunt Tower at Paramount's Great America amusement park in Santa Clara,. }, First published on August 23, 1999 / 2:55 PM. Let's look at his life from a biblical perspective. Likewise, the book of Judges also tells the story of Samson. Their suit alleges that the ride is defective and that no warnings were given. Sometimes people are injured because they simply don't follow the rules: Do not stand up. Park officials claim that the lap bar was securely fastened when the ride began and when it ended, thus Ryan Bielby could not have been killed due to a malfunction. On July 28, 2014 one of the cables snapped and struck a mother and her daughter. Chanaud said the trouble with ride had nothing to do with the boy's death. one in heaven(Joshua) and one on earth(Alicia)!!! The ride has both seat belts and T-shaped lap bars, and both of Mason-Larezs were found in the locked position after the fall, said Knotts General Manager Jack Falfas. However, Ryan's mother Leah Bergonozi believes to this day that the seat-belt failed on the ride and killed her daughter. Can't use the emergency stop button if the whole machine is already fucked. When he was fastened securely into the harness on the "Rocket Launcher" ride, he probably didn't think he was in any real danger. The park was ordered to pay only $70,000 in the civil penalty case. "I cannot comment directly on it," Chanaud said. The emergency brake also failed. June 9, 1991 was a grim night at Kings Island Amusement park in southern Ohio. "Its business as usual for them. The Wildcat roller coaster was built in 1974, but this was their first fatality at the amusement park. Gayle Hokenson, 38, of Morgan Hill brought four kids to the park and said her whole group was nervous. Both equipment malfunctions remain unexplained by park officials. Officials at Cedar Point obviously closed the ride and began investigating what could have gone wrong and although there were lap bars in place and all safety precautions were allegedly taken, they later found out that Patrick was too short to be riding Cedar Creek Mine Ride altogether. . There are rules at these parks for a reason, and when risk-takers decide to break them, they're chances of becoming the one in 750 million goes up drastically. Although the actual go-kart was in line with safety practices and regulations, the child should not have been in the go-cart in the first place. A New York man died in an apparent accident on a roller coaster in which riders stand through several loops that turn them upside down. Chanaud said the trouble with the ride had nothing to do with the boy's death. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1129f878a5ef94 There have been other deadly accidents in the park since Michael's tragedy in 1989, including the following accident that left a mentally disabled boy dead on scene. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. And Pribonic suggested that parks consider placing a sample restraint system or seat in ride lines so that passengers can determine beforehand if they will fit safely. A family friend who was present at the time of Joshua's death said that the accident seemed to occur when the ride's magnetic breaking system engaged more than halfway down the tower. A second witness, a family friend who was on the ride with Joshua, said he did not remember the boy's safety harness being checked by workers before the ride began. Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara quickly hired a consulting firm, Exponent Inc. in Menlo Park, to help determine how Joshua Smurphat of Sunnyvale, a mentally disabled 12-year-old . 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