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. Officials at the park, which is located about 20 miles north of Richmond, released few details about the incident. "You don't go to an amusement park and leave without your child. On August 23, 1999 a strange and terrifying incident occurred at Paramount's Great America amusement park in Santa Clara. The family says 12-year-old Joshua Smurphat was on a drop ride at a California amusement park when slipped out of his seat and fell to his death. "I saw him fall out and hit the ground. Kernacs said Mason-Larez--who weighed 292 pounds and had a girth of 56 inches, according to a coroners report--should not have been allowed on the ride by operators. "The boy was kind of struggling to stay in, then he flew out feet first, flipped cartwheel-style over, and fell straight down on his head. In two of the cases, the riders weighed about 300 pounds or more. one in heaven(Joshua) and one on earth(Alicia)!!! 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. After plummeting from an amusement park ride about to be closed for a safety check, a disabled 12-year-old boy died. "I wanted to run in and catch him and I couldn't. 12-year-old Joshua Smurphat of Sunnyvale died when he fell off Paramount's Great America Drop Zone Stunt Tower in Santa Clara. The park remained open following the horrific accident, park officials claiming they did not want to start a panic by announcing what had happened. Sources: nypost.com, nydailynews.com, bbc.co.uk. Last August, a preliminary investigation by park inspectors and police ruled out mechanical error. Designed to have arms operating individually, this type of ride uses compressed air which in turn triggers the actuators and cables that put the ride in motion. Representatives of the amusement park in Santa Clara said yesterday they could not confirm or deny whether the harness was open. 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). Witnesses stated that the boy began trying to slip out of the harness when they began their ascension up the tower, and once the ride dropped into free-fall, Joshua allegedly fell out. 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. However, some workers and customers at Great America said yesterday that the sadness of Joshua's death seemed to cast a pall over the normally fun thrill park, which flew its flags at half-staff in Joshua's memory. If we are relying on the mental or physical capability of a rider to retain [him- or herself] in the ride, then were putting the burden on the wrong person.. "These guys got a lot of money, power, a lot of influences. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. His family is calling for a simple safety measure that they say may have prevented his death, and the death of a teen in Orlando. The young girls death shocked the community as it was the first fatality to happen at the amusement park since it opened in 1973. The loss of Tyre was a tragic accident that we take very seriously." Park officials would not comment on the lawsuit. The three boys had been at the park all day riding different rides and everything was normal until they went around a corner on Space Invader. His name is fairly biblical - the city of Tyre in modern-day Lebanon is mentioned many times throughout its texts. 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. And that is why there should be an emergency stop button available for anyone to press. Yet every season the reports come pouring in of people seriously injured or horrifically killed while enjoying a day at the amusement park. He says: "it has two independent locking devices, and the shoulder restraints are monitored. binford heidi calendarer wait times university hospital. 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. 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. After the meeting, nobody was ready to give any preliminary findings. If you've got a fear of rollercoasters, this won't help Every summer millions of children, teenagers, and parents head to their local amusement park seeking a fun-filled day of thrills. 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. The boy suffered from "severe mental and physical handicaps" but that did not mean that he could not ride Drop Tower: Scream Zone. The ride, which opened December 2021, is billed as the worlds tallest freestanding drop tower, standing at 430 feet and can accommodate 30 riders at full capacity. "I was standing five feet. "Its business as usual for them. She was taken to Miami Valley Hospital with did not survive. But Sampson isnt feeling really happy, as he stands outside the attraction on International Drive. We miss you, honey.". It was August 1999 when OLeary lost her little brother. "A young man lost his life. The mother was taken to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. "Frankly, it takes you back. Joshua Lee Smurphat Born 26 Jul 1987 in Santa Clara, California Ancestors Son of Terry Lee Smurphat and [private mother (1960s - unknown)] [sibling (s) unknown] [spouse (s) unknown] [children unknown] Died 22 Aug 1999 at age 12 in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, California, USA Profile manager: Cheryl Richardson [ send private message ] No one on the ride was physically injured. But according to Tami Smurphat's complaint, Great America knew the Drop Zone posed a risk to patrons. The youngster had been strapped into the "free fall" ride with a steel harness at the beginning of the ride, authorities said, noting that there have been no other serious accidents on the ride since it opened in 1996. After two unrelated accidents occurred on the park grounds, three people were dead. "I saw my son fly off of the ride. It might end up, wind up injuring an individual if they have to use it, and it winds up catching them if you will, in the event that the primary fails but it should keep them contained," Avery explained. Esparza was at the amusement park with her family who witnessed the horrific accident. He died instantly upon hitting the concrete below. 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. The Verrckt slide has since been closed and is not expected to reopen for the rest of the year. Directly following the accident, the ride was shut down for an investigation. 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. The most common cause is that your DNS settings are incorrect. Homelessness remains a core focus of his, close to his heart as a journalist who cares passionately about the human condition. Joshua (left), on a safer merry-go-round. William Haithcoat and Darrell Robertson were both 20 years-old when they died tragically in the water. The boy dropped over 30-feet to the ground and fractured his skull. The three Intamin accidents occurred on different types of rides at different amusement parks and involved different restraints. The ride has since been shut down. display: none; Give a trial date, so this family can get answers," Crump said. On March 29, 1980 two trains collided on the ride Willard's Whizzer at California's Great America in Santa Clara (now Six Flags). The entire ride was to be taken out of commission for the rest of the day--but not until the final group of riders, including Joshua, were given their turn. Use of this site is governed by our Terms Of Service and Privacy Policy. "We owe it to all the children all over the world to make sure this never happens again," he added. His family is calling for a simple safety measure that they say may have prevented his death, and the death of a teen in Orlando. 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. However, due to the owners negligence of the terrifying reverse-bungee ride, Charron was entering a ticking time bomb. Utterly Moderate. The bill, which must still be approved by the full Senate and the governor, would provide state inspection and oversight of permanent amusement parks. The Drop Zone free-fall ride and the King Cobra stand-up roller coaster are closed indefinitely until Kings Island management obtains more information about the accidents in California and Virginia, Kings Island spokesman David Mandt said. "The boy was kind of struggling to stay in, then he flew out feet first, flipped cartwheel-style over, and fell straight down on his head. Failure Analysis Associates, an inspection firm under contract by Great America, also is looking into the accident. For the 4-year-olds, the 5-year-olds and the 300-pound women, for the people at the edges, the risk rises considerably. Kimberly Bailey and her daughter Jessica were enjoying a family outing at the New Jersey amusement park in Ocean City when tragedy struck. Joshua Smurphat of Sunnyvale somehow slipped out of his Drop Zone car while 50 to 100 feet above the ground Sunday afternoon. Witnesses reported seeing Esparza moving around in her seat and appeared not to be securely strapped into the ride. Investigators stated that the drag chain that pulls the car up the hill released prematurely. Ryan had gone to Worlds of Fun amusement park with a group of friends the day of the fatal accident in 1995. 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. Santa Clara County court records indicate that the lawsuit was dismissed after a settlement was reached. The most common cause is that your DNS settings are incorrect. He has ridden with the rails with modern-day hobos, witnessed seven prison executions, written extensively about serial killers including the Unabomber, Doodler and Zodiac, and covered disasters ranging from the Sept. 11 terror attacks at Ground Zero to California's devastating wildfires. Sergeant James Hackemer was 29-years-old when he died on the Ride of Steel at Darien Lake Theme Park in Syracuse, New York. The final amount received remained confidential, though it was reported that the settlement was in the millions. There is no need for an extra safety or seat belt". We simply don't know what happened.". On July 5, 1989, Michael Dorsey, a young boy of 9-years-old allegedly jumped out of the Loggers' Run boat as it was going up the flume. Can't use the emergency stop button if the whole machine is already fucked. His mom saw it all. Guyton had apparently wandered into the restricted zone accidentally. Her body had connected with a tunnel attached to the ride and her body was described to be nearly in half. In April 2000, Ventures was fined $145,000 for the violations connected to Charron's death. Joshua Smurphat was from Sunnyvale, CA, and died on a Sunday. "He played in a special Little League team for disabled children.". 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. Police and park officials were investigating. "It appears on first blush to be an accidental death," said Santa Clara police Sgt. In light of the most recent death, that of a 40-year-old Duarte woman on Sept. 21 at Knotts Berry Farm, lawyers and safety advocates believe both manufacturers and amusement parks need to take a closer look at establishing weight limits for their rides or warning heavy patrons that they might be at risk. Click to reveal After the car hit a sharp turn, the mother and daughter were thrown violently out of the ride while witnesses watched in horror. Its the responsibility of the industry to look out for those who cant--or wont--look out for themselves, said Ed Pribonic, an independent ride inspector. 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 Paramounts Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, Calif. The thrill ride was designed by Intamin AG of Switzerland and is often referred to as a "second-generation freefall.". }, First published on August 23, 1999 / 2:55 PM. Their suit alleges that the ride is defective and that no warnings were given. The Commission's investigation also concluded that at least 11 incidents had gone unreported between 1976 and 1979. That would have prevented my brothers death," OLeary told FOX 35. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. "Even if I was awarded a million dollars, it wouldn't change anything in my life," she said. Joshua Lee "Josh" Smurphat found in 4 trees View all. The Grizzly, a roller coaster near Great America's Drop Zone, also was shut down yesterday to give investigators better access to the Drop Zone, but other than that, rides ran as usual, said park spokesman Timothy Chanaud. ", He said he will do everything he can to fight to get the Orlando FreeFall shut down and removed from ICON Park. A 15-year-old friend riding with Christopher reported seeing him begin to fall out of the ride even though the seat-belt was still fastened. Dwaileebe, who weighed more than 300 pounds, came out of that ride like a cork out of a champagne bottle, said his attorney, Francis M. Letro, who has filed a $5-million lawsuit against Intamin and Six Flags. Park officials disputed witness accounts suggesting that the boy was not properly strapped into his seat. How could this happen?' Sampson was riding Free Fall in ICON Park when he fell to his death. JetBlue flight forced to abort landing in close call at Logan Airport The ride is designed for passengers to enjoy a seven-story free fall as the trains are sent down the track one after the other. It seems that the restricted area of roller coasters are just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than the rides themselves. Another boy slipped out of his seat on a drop ride and fell to his death 23 years ago in California. 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,. 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. You associate them intuitively with happy family days, fun, and memories. Park spokeswoman Betsy Moss confirmed the fatality, which happened about 8:40 p.m., and said an investigation was under way. M&D's Tsunami, 2016 Tripadvisor names the world's top 25 beaches, three in the U.S. "There is no possible relation between that vehicle that was closed off and the vehicle in which the accident occurred," he said. Joshua's mother, Tami Smurphat, told television station KTVU she was still reeling from the horror of having witnessed her son's death. Even though the seat-belt failed to keep the boy safely in his seat, an investigation deemed that the death was accidental. When 10-year-old Caleb Schwab went down the extreme 168ft Verrckt slide (the tallest water slide in the world), he was ejected out of the raft and suffered fatal injuries to his neck. Attorneys and safety consultants say that ride designers should either anticipate such problems or restrict access. In February 2000, a judge found the owner of the ride Anderson Ventures and the Delaware-based company guilty of violating the Ontario's Amusement Devices Act. 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. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. "I saw my son fly off of the ride. At about 78 feet, a magnetic braking system catches the riders and gently brings them to the ground. In all three thrill-ride accidents, at parks in California and New York, the victims slipped free from shoulder harnesses, lap bars or seat belts. 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. OLeary believes that the recent death in Orlando could have been prevented if a belt was used in addition to the shoulder harness. Edit your search or learn more. Local police and park investigators are trying to determine how the boy could have come out of his restraint. Joshua's mother, Tami Smurphat, told television station KTVU she was still reeling from the horror of having witnessed her son's death. But I feel like it's time for them to somehow pay for what they did to my child. The investigation of the accident, which left 12-year-old Joshua Smurphat dead, yielded no explanation of how the accident happened. In documents released by the state, the general manager of Funtime, the manufacturer of the Orlando Freefall ride writes about seat and shoulder restraint. 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.". The familys attorneys also said ride operators were not vigilant in securing Mason-Larezs seat belt and lap bar. August 23, 1999 / 2:55 PM I was one ride over at the grizzly when that happened. Depositions were being taken this week in that case, and a trial is pending. Clara. 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. "It's not going to make me feel any differently about what happened. I think thats part of the reason. 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. It was discovered that Hackemer was not thrown out of the ride until the last hill, its peak reaching 208 feet. By Great America knew the Drop Zone posed a risk to patrons 145,000. 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