Technician says Florida thrill ride operator ignored his safety concerns
before teen's fatal fall
[March 20, 2025]
By MIKE SCHNEIDER
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A maintenance technician alleged on Wednesday that
he raised safety issues with the operators of a central Florida
amusement ride before a 14-year-old boy fell to his death, but his
concerns were never addressed.
Austin Campbell-Alexander said in the state whistleblower lawsuit that
the Orlando Free Fall ride at Icon Park had sensors which were modified
to accommodate people whose height or weight were outside safety limits.
He also alleged that overheated cylinders prevented seats from securing
properly and that the drop ride's metal structure had cracks in its
joints. Campbell-Alexander also said he and his colleagues weren't given
any training on ride maintenance or patron safety.
“He brought these concerns to his manager and the owner of the ride, and
basically they didn’t do what they should have done,” Greg Schmitz, one
of his attorneys, said in a phone interview.
Trevor Arnold, an attorney for the ride operators, said in an email that
Campbell-Alexander's claims were in direct conflict with statements he
provided after the accident.
“Our clients promptly investigated the tragic accident that resulted in
the death of Tyre Sampson. Upon discovering that Mr. Campbell-Alexander
adjusted the sensors that resulted in the accident, he was suspended and
relieved of any further involvement or access to any rides," Arnold
said. “Upon learning of Mr. Campbell-Alexander’s and other employees’
conduct, we proactively notified investigating authorities.”
Tyre Sampson fell 70 feet (21 meters) to his death on March 24, 2022. A
football standout who stood 6 foot, 2 inches tall (1.9 meters) and
weighed 380 pounds (172 kilograms), he was visiting Orlando on spring
break from the St. Louis area.
Sampson went with friends to the amusement park on International Drive
in the heart of the region's tourism district, and they rode the Orlando
Free Fall, which placed 30 riders in seats attached to a tower. Each
passenger was secured with a shoulder harness before the ride lifted
them up the tower and then dropped them 430 feet (131 meters).
[to top of second column]
|
ICON Park attractions, The Wheel, left, Orlando SlingShot, middle,
and Orlando FreeFall, right, are shown in Orlando, Fla., on
Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Stephen M. Dowell /Orlando Sentinel via
AP, File)
Because of Sampson’s size, the harness didn’t lock properly and he
was ejected from his seat when the ride braked, authorities said.
Campbell-Alexander wasn't present during the accident, but he has
suffered depression and anxiety since then, Schmitz said.
He said that after Sampson's death, he was asked to backfill blank
maintenance logs showing that tasks had been performed in the weeks
before the accident. Campbell-Alexander refused and was put on paid
administrative leave for a year and not permitted to return to the
property, the lawsuit said.
After Sampson's family reached a settlement with the ride's
operators, Campbell-Alexander was fired. His attorneys said it was
retaliation for the safety concerns he had flagged. Sampson's family
also won a $310 million verdict against the attraction's Austrian
builder last year.
The lawsuit filed in state court in Orlando said Campbell-Alexander
is seeking more than $50,000. Schmitz said it should include back
pay, compensatory damages and punitive damages.
“It was just very traumatic from his perspective, working there,"
Schmitz said.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
