According to Great America spokesman Timothy Chanaud, "The harness was checked and locked before the coach started, and it was still locked when the vehicle returned to the ground. "You don't go to an amusement park and leave without your child. She oversaw California, Business and lifestyle coverage, as well as photo, design, the News Desk, Audience Engagement, the Data and Graphics departments and Los Angeles Times en Espaol. No one on the ride was physically injured. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. grandma to 3!!! Although most of these horrific amusement park accidents involve incidents where people are thrown unwilling from a passenger car, sometimes the person is still on the ride when it pulls back into the station. She was taken to Lake Medical Center where she later died from internal injuries suffered from a crushed pelvis. However, once Joshua was fastened into the ride, things started to go bad. Joshua Smurphat was from Sunnyvale, CA, and died on a Sunday. The boy suffered from "severe mental and physical handicaps" but that did not mean that he could not ride Drop Tower: Scream Zone. Witness Tammy Matczak described seeing the two bodies fly into the air. Witnesses to a boy's fatal fall at Paramount's Great America amusement park said they believe the harness holding the 12-year- old popped open mid-ride, but investigators said yesterday it's too early to say what caused the tragedy. A 523 error means that Cloudflare could not reach your host web server. Wreath placed outside parking lot entrance forJoshua Smurphat, 12 years old, who died while on the Drop Zone ride Sunday afternoon. The day is commonly known as Black Sunday in Ohio. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" Timothy Chanaud, a Great America spokesman, said yesterday that he had not seen a copy of the lawsuit, although the park's attorneys have been meeting with the family's lawyers. The girl sitting next to Ryan claims that she held onto the lap bar as to not fall out herself and pulled it back down before the ride ended. Police and park officials were investigating. 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. Witnesses claimed to have seen the woman have a seizure at the end of the ride. 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. It takes you back to those moments when you find out that your loved one has passed in this way," said the victims sister, Alicia OLeary. The girl was crushed between her mother and the steering wheel in the accident. Unfortunately, her left foot was unable to be saved and was eventually amputated. Yet every season the reports come pouring in of people seriously injured or horrifically killed while enjoying a day at the amusement park. A separate Cal-OSHA investigation has not been completed. The boy who was riding in the front car was thrown from the ride upon impact and reportedly hit a steel support beam and fell below the tracks. 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. 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. There is no need for an extra safety or seat belt". Whether this means riding the tallest and most intimidating roller coaster, lounging in the water park, or whirling and spinning until you hurl, most amusement parks are packed full of rides for all ages, ready to take you on the ride of your lifetime. Performance & security by Cloudflare. How do we create a person's profile? His name is fairly biblical - the city of Tyre in modern-day Lebanon is mentioned many times throughout its texts. 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. On Saturday, May 31, 2003 tragedy struck at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari theme park in Santa Claus, Indiana after a woman fell to her death from a roller coaster. 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). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. He died instantly upon hitting the concrete below. Sources: nypost.com, nydailynews.com, bbc.co.uk. A 523 error means that Cloudflare could not reach your host web server. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. This is a carousel. 3 Joshua Smurphat, who fatally fell from a ride in 1999, is remembered by his family who are pushing for stricter safety measures after a similar death Credit: Fox35 3 Let's look at his life from a biblical perspective. Joshua (left), on a safer merry-go-round. "I was standing five feet from where he fell when he did die," said Joshua's mother, Tami Smurphat. It is a pneumatically powered pendulum ride technically classified as a "Screamin' Swing." Check your DNS Settings. 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 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. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. Amusement ride safety expert, Brian Avery, agrees with the family's call for a secondary belt to be required. Chanaud said the trouble with the ride had nothing to do with the boy's death. Both equipment malfunctions remain unexplained by park officials. Depositions were being taken this week in that case, and a trial is pending. THE family of a boy who tragically fell to his death on a drop ride 24 years ago in California has called for stricter safety measures to be implemented following a recent death of a teenager in Or Lassiter was rushed to the hospital where doctors reattached her right foot. Morec said the Police Department may hire an independent consultant to determine how the child could have fallen. 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). The ride was closed for a day and was officially reopened and announced to be safe for passengers. An investigation by Santa Clara police concluded that no charges should be filed against the park, which has since added a safety belt to the shoulder harness. ", He said he will do everything he can to fight to get the Orlando FreeFall shut down and removed from ICON Park. 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. In July 2001, at Blackpool's Pleasure Beach in Lancashire, England, an 11-year-old boy named Christopher Sharratt was killed after falling out of the "Space Invader" ride. And they have to plan for it, said David A. Chanaud emphasized that safety is the park's first concern. Please enter valid email address to continue. "The same situation happened in 1999, a drop tower ride. 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. 58-year-old Samuel Milton Guyton was struck and killed by the dangling leg of a passenger. After the car hit a sharp turn, the mother and daughter were thrown violently out of the ride while witnesses watched in horror. Paramount runs rides similar to Drop Zone at its parks in Ohio, North Carolina, and Canada, and all three were shut down yesterday awaiting the results of the California investigation, company representatives said. "I wanted to run in and catch him and I couldn't. Joshua Smurphat died at 3:20 p.m. on Sunday at Paramount's Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara, California, according to park spokesman Timothy Chanaud. "He played in a special Little League team for disabled children.". 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 ] Mason-Larezs family members filed suit this month against both the park and Intamin. Tyre Sampson would have turned 15 years old on Wednesday. Two of the unsupervised youths were not Great America employees and had less that one- half day's experience with the ride equipment, the lawsuit alleges. Report Tami Smurphat with a photo of son Joshua, who died on a free-fall amusement park ride. Click here for the latest Central Florida news, Florida stories, and local headlines. Officials didn't have a hometown for Fan but said he lived on Long Island in New York. State investigators then stepped in to examine whether training and the age of ride operators at Great America contributed to Joshua's death. We simply don't know what happened.". Mary Lambert Same Love: When I was in the 3rd grade I thought that I was gay 'cause I could draw My uncle was and I kept my room straight I told my mom, tears rushing down my face, she's like 'Ben you've loved girls since But Sampson isnt feeling really happy, as he stands outside the attraction on International Drive. The ride features a 22-story free fall. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Terry Lee Smurphat (1958 - 2013) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. OLeary believes that the recent death in Orlando could have been prevented if a belt was used in addition to the shoulder harness. Both of the women died from extensive blunt-trauma injuries. The official investigation concluded that the park was not at fault. 19962023 Ultimate Rollercoaster, LLC. 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. Click to reveal Unfortunately,. "My son, Daniel, has been skittish about going on any of the big rides today," she said, "and we have noticed on every ride they are checking and double-checking when they put you on. Both Intamin and park officials have denied responsibility. Our rides are safe when people are responsible and follow the instructions, Intamin President Sandor Kernacs said, adding that millions of people ride his and similar attractions each year without injury. While changes could protect the lives of other kids, its too late for Tyre,his father said. The Drop Zone, a 207-foot-high "extreme" thrill ride that dumps riders straight toward the ground along a metal track at more than 60 mph, opened three years ago and is one of the park's most popular rides. 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