Florida jury awards $310 million in amusement park death

Dec. 5 (UPI) -- A Florida jury has ordered a theme park ride manufacturer to pay $310 million in damages to the family of the teen who died after falling from one of its rides in Orlando.

Tyre Sampson, 14, fell to his death while riding the FreeFall drop tower attraction at ICON Park in March 2022. Riders are strapped in when they drop more than 400 feet, but Sampson had slipped out of the harness and fell more than 100 feet to the ground.

Local media reported that the ride operator modified two seats to account for Sampson's size. It said Sampson exceeded the rider's safe weight limit by 100 pounds. His parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Funtime Handels, a German company that owns the ride. The jury awarded Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson $155 million each, all of which Funtime Handels is responsible for.

Sampson had been visiting Orlando from St. Louis, Mo., for spring break with friends when they rode the FreeFall and Sampson fell to his death. It was touted as the "world's tallest" such tower.

The ride has since been dismantled.

A statement from Hilliard Law, which represented the Sampson family, said Funtime Handels was negligent even in the smallest details, including installing proper seat belts, an enhancement that would have cost $22 per seat, or a total of $680 to secure the entire ride.

"This was a heartbreaking and wholly preventable tragedy," said Attorney Michael Richardson. "The evidence was clear: Safety was sacrificed for profit. This verdict not only seeks to deliver justice for Tyre's family but also sends a strong message to the amusement industry about prioritizing the safety of their guests."

Florida lawmakers have passed the Tyre Sampson Act, which requires amusement rides over 100 feet in height to have both seat belts and harnesses. They must also be inspected and certified by independent regulatory agencies.