The owners of the Orlando Free Fall are fighting the quarter million dollars worth of fines levied against them by the state of Florida following the death of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson.
Sampson, who was visiting Orlando from St. Louis, fell from the Icon Park ride after slipping loose of his restraints. He later died of his injuries.
The horrific incident was captured by bystanders and the video of the incident quickly spread. In the months since, Florida officials have investigated the incident and found that the ride’s restraints were adjusted to allow the ride to operate outside of manufacturer supplied limits in height and weight.
“We are seeking an administrative fine exceeding $250,000 — one of the largest administrative fines the department has ever sought — and a permanent revocation of the ride’s operation permit in the state of Florida,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
The ride operators have countered that story, requesting a hearing on the fines, saying that stories of weight restrictions and sensor manipulation are inaccurate.
“We also promptly provided this information to all investigating parties. In order to ensure further safety improvements were made, we brought in two outside firms to improve our training, maintenance, and safety practices,” an attorney for the operators told WKMG.
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