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. The Cedar Points PR Manager Bryan Edwards made a statement that the woman who suffered head injuries was only taken to the hospital "as a precaution" and failed to mention the seriousness of the injury. Tamar Fellner was riding the Raven roller coaster but fell out on the first and steepest hill after she allegedly stood up in her seat during the 69-foot drop. "We owe it to all the children all over the world to make sure this never happens again," he added. Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect On March 29, 1980 two trains collided on the ride Willard's Whizzer at California's Great America in Santa Clara (now Six Flags). Sergeant James Hackemer was 29-years-old when he died on the Ride of Steel at Darien Lake Theme Park in Syracuse, New York. 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 ] Tami Smurphat said she is convinced her son would be alive today if the park had taken more precautions. "He's the most lovable little kid," said family friend Bill Enos. Detectives will interview employees and witnesses to determine if there was any criminal negligence or any use of controlled substances or alcohol by ride operators. 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. Once the Mason-Larez accident investigation is completed by the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Falfas said, he will consider taking action--including posting weight warnings--if it helps prevent future injuries. However, once Joshua was fastened into the ride, things started to go bad. Although the ride had passed inspection, Ventures replaced the strap which connected the harness to the bungee cord with one half as thick as the regulated strap had been. AP Photo/family photo. I think thats part of the reason. While changes could protect the lives of other kids, its too late for Tyre,his father said. The family feels Joshuas accident is similar to what happened to 14-year-old Tyre Sampson in Orlando. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid Her daughter as well as other riders witnessed Esparza being thrown from the coaster as it plummeted down the hill. Having witnessed the young boys death, the women claim that the ride decapitated him and he was dead by the time he got to the bottom of the slide. The three Intamin accidents occurred on different types of rides at different amusement parks and involved different restraints. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. It takes you back to those moments when you find out that your loved one has passed in this way," Smurphat's sister, Alicia OLeary, told Fox 35. He died instantly upon hitting the concrete below. The tragic accident was caused when part of the roller coaster malfunctioned sending the car at the top of the hill plummeting backward toward another car set to go up behind it. 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. 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. "Its business as usual for them. 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 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. grandma to 3!!! 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. CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat" AP Photo/family photo, Tami Smurphat, the victim's mother. Homelessness remains a core focus of his, close to his heart as a journalist who cares passionately about the human condition. "I personally feel like that is something that every free-fall ride should have. AP Photo by Paul Sakuma, 'Zero visibility' conditions: All roads to Tahoe are closed, My meal at this landmark SF spot was too expensive to be so bad, One of the largest movie theaters in SF to close permanently, 'Really cool sight': Rare waterspout forms in Northern California, Report: Matthew McConaughey has a massive Salesforce paycheck, Man shot dead near San Francisco Ferry Building, A different horse': Bay Area will likely continue to see rain, 'Life threatening': Tahoe braces for massive blizzard, 'Lady in the fridge' murder victim ID'd as Bay Area mother of 3, Snow shuts down over 70 miles of I-80 in Northern California, Horoscope for Wednesday, 3/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, These East Bay gems are a haven for music lovers. 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. Tami L. Smurphat, 39, alleges that Great America allowed four unsupervised youths to operate the Drop Zone ride on August 22, none of whom checked Joshua's harness before the thrill ride began. You must be this tall to ride. On the Drop Zone, riders sit upright, feet dangling, in six separate four-person coaches, with each person locked in by a shoulder harness. "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. Officials at the park, which is located about 20 miles north of Richmond, released few details about the incident. 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. 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. Attorneys and safety consultants say that ride designers should either anticipate such problems or restrict access. Chanaud emphasized that safety is the park's first concern. the skyview building hyderabad; julian clary ian mackley split; timothy evatt seidler; case hardening advantages and disadvantages; doorbell chime with built in 16v transformer 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 Orlando. In each accident, he said, the rider or operators should have been more responsible. 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.". Somehow, the boy slipped out of his harness, park officials 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. 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. Rules and regulations of Hi-Speed Race Karts states that all riders must be at least 5-feet tall, all riders must sign a release, and only one rider be allowed in a co-kart at a time. In June 2008, 17-year-old Asia Leeshawn Ferguson was horrifically decapitated by the "Batman" ride at the amusement park Six Flags Over Georgia. Is it true that the Tower of Terror has fallen? 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. Skyhawk is the world's tallest "Screamin' Swing" at 125-feet and moving as fast as 60mph. Tyre Sampson died during Lunation number 1227 in the year 2022. It wasn't immediately known how far he fell. "Maybe cause it's a color issue, that's why the. In documents released by the state, the general manager of Funtime, the manufacturer of the Orlando Freefall ride writes about seat and shoulder restraint. 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. I tried to go in the gate," she said. 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. In November, the park installed a safety strap on the Drop Zone. She left The Times in November 2021. Sometimes people are injured because they simply don't follow the rules: Do not stand up. This incident is just one of many that have happened at one of the Cedar Fair Amusement Parks across the US. 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. "I was standing five feet. 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. In the 2 1/2 years before a woman fell to her death from the Perilous Plunge water attraction at Knotts Berry Farm last month, at least two other people fell out of rides made by the same manufacturer, according to lawsuits and investigation reports. He died instantly upon hitting the concrete below. Kyle Foss was one of the passengers who was ejected from the train and landed fatally on the rocks below. However, once Joshua was fastened into the ride, things started to go bad. Both equipment malfunctions remain unexplained by park officials. 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. "I was standing five feet from where he fell when he did die," said Joshua's mother, Tami Smurphat. The girl was crushed between her mother and the steering wheel in the accident. On August 23, 1999 a strange and terrifying incident occurred at Paramount's Great America amusement park in Santa Clara. 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. #inline-recirc-item--id-91e18158-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91e18158-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { We need to get the information out on the table, said park safety advocate Kathy Fackler of La Jolla, founder of SaferParks. Then the U.S. government blindsided it, Dilbert and Scott Adams rapid downfall doesnt surprise anyone who followed both. "We've been bombarded by calls and have nothing to say now.". It was one of two fatal accidents in as many days, the other one in California. We simply don't know what happened.". 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. Edit your search or learn more. } 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. State investigators then stepped in to examine whether training and the age of ride operators at Great America contributed to Joshua's death. "Maybe cause its a color issue, thats why the thing is getting dragged around so slowly. In April 2000, Ventures was fined $145,000 for the violations connected to Charron's death. Site Map However, other accounts online claim that two boys jumped out of the log ride, but only Michael Dorsey was killed. 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. }, First published on August 23, 1999 / 2:55 PM. "There is no possible relation between that vehicle that was closed off and the vehicle in which the accident occurred," he said. 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