U.S. News

Iowa family sues amusement park in death of 11-year-old in 2021

By Clyde Hughes   |   July 1, 2022 at 2:13 PM

July 1 (UPI) -- The family of an 11-year-old Iowa boy who died when an amusement park ride malfunctioned nearly a year ago filed a lawsuit against the park and its managers on Thursday.

The Raging River ride at Adventure Land in Altoona, Iowa, overturned on July 3, 2021, taking the life of Michael Jaramillo, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who drowned, and severely injuring Michael's father and brother.

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The lawsuit charged that poor maintenance, lack of staff training and the decision by management to keep the ride operating in face of "serious problems" led to the death and injuries.

The theme park has seen been sold, but the 55-page lawsuit seeks to hold the former owners responsible, including then-President and CEO Michael J. Krantz.

The lawsuit said, according to the Des Moines Register, that Krantz "was particularly responsible to make certain that Adventure Land's rides, such as the Raging River, were properly funded for maintenance and safety purposes. That proper maintenance and safety protocols were followed.

"That ride manufacturer's design, installation, operation and maintenance recommendations were observed. That ride maintenance and repairs were not hastily and cheaply conducted in a sub-standard manner not recommended by a manufacturer ... resulting in exposure to injury and damage by Adventure Land patrons."

The lawsuit said the state's Amusement Ride Safety Division found during an investigation that the ride posed "an imminent danger to public health, safety or welfare." The division eventually issued a safety order finding 17 violations by Adventure Land during its operation of the Raging River ride, according to The Gazette.

Attorney Guy Cook, who is representing Adventure Land, told The Gazette the accident happened because of "extraordinarily unusual factors" and not negligence.

"For nearly 40 years each park ride, including the Raging River ride, have undergone annual safety inspections by state of Iowa inspectors and detailed daily inspections by park maintenance and ride operators," Cook said. "Sadly, the tragic accident of July 3, 2021, was the result of a number of extraordinarily unusual factors coming together."