Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson, Tyre Sampson’s parents, have reached a settlement in part of their wrongful death case for an unknown sum. After falling from a 430-foot-tall amusement ride on March 24, Tyre passed dead the previous year.
During Spring Break, the 14-year-old went to the Florida park with another family from his hometown in Missouri. However, when the ride reached the ground, Tyre managed to escape its confines. According to Fox 35, the drop tower had only been operational for a little over four months when the event occurred. It is currently permanently closed and is anticipated to be gone by Tyre’s death anniversary. Tyre’s parents filed a lawsuit against ICON Park, Slingshot Group, its owner, Fun Time Thrill Rides, and Gerstlauer Amusement Rides, the maker of the ride’s seats and harnesses, about a month after their son died.
This Monday, her lawyer, Michael Haggard, informed the media that the parents had reached a settlement with Icon Park and Slingshot Group. They are still after Fun Times and Gerstlauer, though.
“This death trap was made by Fun Times, who resides out of Austria, who is not under the CPSC jurisdiction, it’s not under the jurisdiction of the United States except for in this court case. They are entering appearance now, they’ve tried to evade service,” Haggard said. “They tried to evade responsibility and please remember it was the manufacturer that said you don’t need seatbelts on a ride that goes 420 feet in the air, tilts forward at 90 degrees, and comes down at 75 mph. You don’t need seatbelts, is what the foreign manufacturer said. Also, Gerstlauer, who made the seat that was manipulated.”
Nekia received praise from Haggard for her courageous promise to her son Tyre that his legacy will endure forever, and she has upheld that during this last difficult, dreadful year. A Wednesday news conference at ICON Park featured an update on the case from Michael Haggard. Nekia, Tyre’s mother, made her first trip to the scene of her son’s death to see the ride being torn down. Her top objective, according to Haggard, was to get the ride removed.
Tyre Sampson’s mother, Nekia Dodd, said this afternoon she has settled her civil lawsuit with the Free Fall ride’s owner, Orlando SlingShot, and ICON Park.
Standing in front of the ride, she said her “emotions were all over” about it coming down.
Story: https://t.co/pfpWt4rAF7 pic.twitter.com/mnoNWHAiVQ— Katie Rice (@katievrice) March 15, 2023
Meanwhile, a proposal commemorating Tyre Sampson’s legacy was discussed this week in the Florida Senate’s Agricultural Committee. The Tyre Sampson Act was introduced by state senator Geraldine Thompson with more ride inspections, rules, and training as its primary goals. Nekia, also advocated for increased amusement ride security. That was the second item her mother desired for Tyre’s legacy, according to her lawyer during the press conference on Wednesday. Nekia requested additional safety elements, such as a seatbelt and a harness, for rides that rose over 150 feet in the air.
According to a recent inquiry by the state of Florida, Tyre’s seat was physically changed to fit his size, which was reportedly more than 300 pounds. Haggard said that further safety measures could have been able to rescue Tires. According to Senator Thompson, will publish an amendment to the bill that incorporates Dodd’s recommendations. Moreover, the measure will give the state the power to shut down dangerous rides, assess staff training, and perform ad hoc inspections of rides before approving them for operation. Haggard asserts that “all of our children are at jeopardy” until Florida’s governor passes the bill into law. – Steve Sijenyi
