Boy falls from Triple Hurricane (Cypress Gardens)

[pgathriller]

What people will do for air time. Even on little coasters.

[nannerdw]

I stood up on a pirate ship once, and I felt like I was going to fall out! I'm sure it's much more dangerous on a coaster, though. People just don't realize just how difficult it is to hold themselves in the car when they are standing. It raises your center of gravity, so it would be almost impossible to hold on while going around a turn with high laterals.

[FlyingScooter]

Negative Wind-Sheer. Accept no substitute.

Due to an odd barometric shift, an updraft was created, launching the young lad straight out of his seat. Whilst flying through the air, he not only saw crop circles, but Yeti as well.

 

Hope the kids okay.

[Damien666]

Now this is why I'm shamed by my generation. People doing extremely stupid things just because they would be "cool" or something.

 

I'm glad he's not dead but if I was him I would sooo smack his friends!

[waterviper]

A dare?

 

Someone needs to slap the kid upside the head so he can get some sense knocked into him!

 

I think the ground he slammed into pretty much slapped him upside the head and knocked some sense into him!!

[GeorgiaDawg278]

I also heard the kid was dared. It would make sense, especially on a woody having the restraint down and locked. On GASM at SFOG, (i'm a skinny guy) I could totally slip out if i really wanted to. The lap bar has a pre-set locking position which is pretty high up. I've actually seen people stand up during the ride.

[BarryH]

I wonder if Cypress Gardens will ban the kid from the park.

[Guy T. Koepp]

Here's what disgusts me more. That stupid kid is probably gonna sue Cypress Gardens and make a mint off his own idiocy.

 

Guy "Darwin was right about natural selection." Koepp

[Gregory DG]

^^ I'm sure he'll try. But there were witnesses that said he stood up. So, it'll be tough to convince a judge that it was CG's neglegence. Especially since there is "DO NOT STAND" message on every car.

 

(Then again, the kid is probably spanish and can't read english...) :-/

[Tmcdllr]

I agree with Guy.

 

The sad thing is this moronified idiget of a loser punk ass kid, or his greedy ass parents, of which one might say it's their fault for raising a kid with such bad public behavior, will probably find some way to weasel the park out of money, or a settlement. So the park would pay because of the MFER's inappropriate actions.

 

All the theme parks should have a black list. When something like this happens at one park, the idiot's photo and information needs to be sent to all the other parks to hopefully ban this "person" from entering any other park and possibly causing a repeat of the situation.

 

Oh but wait, that makes too much sense! Shame on me for thinking. It'll never happen anyway.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Casinos all over the world do it. I don't see it as being a problem.

 

With the internet and a digital camera, you can have this kids stupid mug

all over the world with one mass email. It's actualy rather simple. I would be shocked if they didn't already have this system in place.

 

Guy "Stupid people get what they deserve." Koepp

[Tmcdllr]

Yeah, I mean all they would have to do is install the cameras at the metal detectors, since the general public cannot enter the park without passing through them. If the software recognizes a banned person, security would be notified so they could verify it and if it's true, the person would not be allowed into the park, and I dare say NOT refunded the ticket or parking fees. (Because that's what they deserve).

 

I think it's completely feasable and while it would probably be expensive to install, the parks would more than make up for it in savings on cutting down these rediculous lawsuits. Yeah man, casinos DO do it, why? Becuase it saves them money. Theme parks need to do the same. There is so much potential for frivalous and fake ass lawsuits anything the parks do to minimize them is in their own (and ours) best interests.

[coastakid]

I am 11 years old...but my point is how is someone older than me stupid enough to stand up or take a dare to stand up on a coaster ride.....I would NEVER STAND UP!!!!!!!I hope you get my point?

[BelizeIt]

I see the upcoming lawsuit going something like this.....

 

The families Attorney will show how the rides "Defective Design" lead to this tragic "Accident."

 

Their Lawyer will further state that if the Rollercoaster had been properly designed, that this "Innocent" child should not have been able to slip-out from his safety restraint.

 

Because of this, both Cypress Gardens and the Rides Manufacture should be held liable for their Extreme Negligence.

 

This Negligence, (and NOT the fact that he may have stood up) is what allowed this poor child to be injured by this clearly dangerous and possibly life threatening Rollercoaster.

 

Once Cypress Gardens is faced with this negative publicity, the most likely outcome with be some sort of out-of-court settlement. (Especially if the kid dies or is permanently disabled from this incident)

[Gregory DG]

^^ Yeah, because we all know the Triple Hurricane is a "death machine." :-/

[Gregory DG]

Just heard on the radio. It's official...

 

The parents are suing. :-/

[Guy T. Koepp]

I F'ing knew it! GOD this infuriates me! I hope CG dosn't settle. I hope they have every other person in that train and station testify against this ass backward family. Not only do I hope that they get nothing. I hope their stupid son is paralyzed as a living testimony to this familys stupid genepool.

 

God I hate idiots! They ruin everything for the rest of us!

 

Guy "I'm a thrill seeker, and an adrenaline junkie. Not an F'ing idiot!" Koepp

[CoasterJunkie]

Here is the article from my local paper, The Ledger

 

Parents Sue Park in Ride Accident

Family is seeking compensation from Cypress Gardens for teen's Feb. 25 fall.

 

By JESSICA GATES

The Ledger

 

BARTOW -- The parents of a 13-year-old boy who fell from a roller coaster ride last month at Cypress Gardens Adventure Park are suing the amusement theme park for negligence.

 

The lawsuit filed Friday by Orlando lawyer Carlos R. DiezArguelles says the boy is disabled from the fall and seeks damages in excess of $15,000.

 

On Feb. 25, Martin Llamas fell off the Triple Hurricane -a $2 million wooden roller coaster in operation since December 2004. The Polk County Sheriff's Office reported that Llamas fell 10 to 12 feet onto grass.

 

Publio Junco and Maria Cota -- identified as the boy's parents -- claim Cypress Gardens failed to ensure the ride was safe, and failed to maintain and inspect the ride to prevent injury.

 

The lawsuit also claims the park failed to repair or correct "a dangerous condition that a reasonable inspection would have revealed."

 

Lynn Wright, public relations manager for Cypress Gardens, said the park denies the accusations in the suit.

 

"We stand by the results of the completed investigations of state and local officials, which cleared the park of any negligence or error in this unfortunate accident," Wright said.

 

Wright said "our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family for a fast and full recovery."

 

In addition to the boy's bodily injuries, the lawsuit states Junco and Cota experienced mental anguish and pain from witnessing their son's "traumatic injury."

 

Diez-Arguelles said the decision to file the lawsuit so quickly after the incident was to protect any available evidence.

 

The parents have been keeping vigil over their son, who was in intensive care for a number of days, Diez-Arguelles said.

 

"They were at the hospital every day all last week in Tampa," he said. "The father just went back to work as a truck driver."

 

Llamas remains hospitalized at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa.

 

According to investigators, Llamas was facing the cars behind him as the ride approached a sharp right turn.

 

Because he was turned around, the lap bar was not secure across his legs, Polk County sheriff's officials said.

 

The force of the ride propelled him over the side and out of the car.

 

Cypress Gardens officials said witnesses told them Llamas was standing up when he fell out. Llamas' parents dispute this.

 

An inspector with the Florida State Bureau of Fair Ride Inspection concluded there was no malfunction with the ride and the boy was properly restrained by the coaster's lap restraint.

 

The ride was reopened the day after the accident

 

I rode the Triple Hurricane almost EXACTLY one week after this accident occured. The ride op who was working was almost joking over this incident, saying that the kid was at fault not the park. Cypress Gardens does not need this

[Homer]

No offense to anybody here that may be offended by this post;

 

The kid and his family (judging by the names) are probably people that spoke Spanish. (now heres the offensive part) General stereotype, poor and really want the money for whatever purpose.

 

They will probably sue for no Spanish signs in the park maybe? I think CG has those in place, as with parks in the South.

[coaster1]

Another get rich quick thing .. stupid US laws, but again Florida does have some of the strictest ride enforcement around .. so this will hopefully be thrown out.

 

Just proves the world is populated by Idiots.

[Damien666]

OMG, This is just STUPID! There complaining that the ride was not safe, when their son STOOD UP and fell off. Someone who was on the ride needs to stand up and say that the kid broke the rules and stood up. It's not CG's fault, the ride opened not too long after the accident because NOTHING was wrong with the ride!

 

If I could slap those parents I would, this is just another example of why I hate cases like this. People suing someplace just for quick money. When it's their fault of the accident and not the parks.

[nannerdw]

This is almost as stupid as that person who said, "Oops! I spilled coffee on myself. Now, give me money!" Seriously, I hope the park realizes that this kid is just trying to be stupid. If he fell out of a log flume while trying to do a headstand or unfastened the chain on a wave swinger, he would probably try to sue the park and say that it did not have the proper restraint. People like that should be put in jail for freud.

[verticalzero]

Must of been the kids fault trying to get out or asked to be "dared" by someone. He may of been scared.

 

If the report says the below and there are witnesses, the boys parents are wasting their money as they will not win:

 

According to investigators, Llamas was facing the cars behind him as the ride approached a sharp right turn.

 

Because he was turned around, the lap bar was not secure across his legs, Polk County sheriff's officials said.

 

The force of the ride propelled him over the side and out of the car.

 

Cypress Gardens officials said witnesses told them Llamas was standing up when he fell out

 

The above says it all, if you mess about on a coaster then you are in danger of die ing.

 

Would anyone do this on TTD or MF...?

 

What is it with the USA suing everyone..?

 

Does the ride produce lots of "airtime" on the hills..?

 

A law should be made to say "anyone under 16 should be with an adult when riding coasters". This will stop all the kids from messing about or trying to get out of their seat.

[ECZenith]

I like my "must have an IQ of at least 100 to ride" policy. Maybe with all the money they squeeze out of Cypress they can get their little genius a properly functioning brain.