Giant Slide in Mammoth Park hit with another lawsuit

MT. PLEASANT, Pa. (KDKA) — A lawsuit was filed on Aug. 5 by Hunker resident Ashley M. Coonelly and her husband Joseph Connelly Jr. against Westmorland County and several other entities alleging that the Giant Slide in Mammoth Park is poorly constructed, lacks safety features and is generally dangerous.

Coonelly asserts in the lawsuit that after going down one of the two 100-foot slides on Feb. 11, she was unable to slow down and properly stop, resulting in vertebra damage, bruising and other bodily injuries. Now, she and her husband are seeking damages in a trial by jury.

Both county officials and the plaintiffs' attorney, Richard Talarico, had no comment regarding this lawsuit on Monday, but KDKA-TV spoke with several families using the slide.

"I think it can be (unsafe) if you are reckless," said Andrew Richard Kaveo, of Harmony.  "But that is up to the individual person and you have to protect yourself. But if you know how to slide, it is as safe as any slide in the country."

"If kids follow the rules, then there is no problem," said Gary Kilgore, of Fayette County. "I just let my son go down it a couple of times. We sat there and watched him, and everything was fine. And I have been down it before myself, so there is no problem with it."

This is just the latest in a series of similar lawsuits filed against the county and the manufacturer of the slide.

The county recently made upgrades, including installing handrails leading to the top of the slides, new cargo netting for climbing back up the hill and barriers that separate the equipment from the surrounding rocks.

There is no word yet on whether this lawsuit will go to trial. And for now, the slides remain open.