5.30, A LOCAL TEACHER ACCUSED OF EXPLOITING KIDS. IT’S FIRED. WE’RE TAKING A CLOSER
LOOK INTO HIS TEACHING CAREER.
>> MATT: FIRST, THOUGH, NEW
PICTURES SHOW THE VICTIM WHO
DIED AFTER FALLING FROM THE
ORLANDO THROW RIGHT ON
I-DRIVE.
>> DOES APPEAR JUST TO BE A
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. I’M
MATT AUSTIN.
>> GINGER: AND I’M GINGER
GADSEN RIGHT NOW. THE ORLANDO
FREE FALL SLINGSHOT IN
STARFLYER ARE ALL CLOSED AT
ICON PARK TODAY. WE SAW
INSPECTORS TAKING MEASUREMENTS
OF THE SEATS ON THE FREE FALL
RIDE WHERE A WITNESS TOLD
9-1-1 OPERATOR HE SAW THE
VICTIM SLIPPED OUT OF HIS
SEAT. THERE IS VIDEO OF WHAT
HAPPENED, BUT WE WILL NOT BE
SHOWING IT. THE ORANGE COUNTY
SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE
CALLS STARTED COMING IN JUST
AFTER 11 O’CLOCK LAST NIGHT,
THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO THE
HOSPITAL WHERE HE DIED FROM
HIS INJURIES. THE SHERIFF’S
OFFICE IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM
IS 14 YEAR-OLD TYREE SAMPSON.
THEY SAY HE WAS FROM MISSOURI
AND WAS IN TOWN ON SPRING
BREAK WITH ANOTHER FAMILY. THE
BOYS YOUTH FOOTBALL COACH
TELLS NEWS 6 HE WAS IN 8TH
GRADE AND HE PLAYED FOOTBALL
FOR A NATIONALLY RANKED TEAM
IN ST. LOUIS. HIS COACH
DESCRIBED HIM AS A GENTLE
GIANT. TONIGHT WE’RE LEARNING
NEW DETAILS ABOUT THAT RIDE.
RIGHT NEWS SIX’S MERRIS
BADCOCK IS LIVE AT ICON PARK
TONIGHT WITH DETAILS AND A NEW
REPORT.
>> WE JUST GOT OUR HANDS ON
FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF
THESE KINDS OF ATTRACTIONS.
MARIST.
THESE KINDS OF ATTRACTIONS.
MARIST. Greatness Lives Here. >> WELL, THOSE DOCUMENTS JUST
HIT OUR INBOX AN HOUR AGO.
THOSE ARE THE FIRST RECORDS
WERE RECEIVING FROM THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER
SERVICES
>> THAT’S THE MAIN AGENCY IN
FLORIDA RESPONSIBLE FOR
INVESTIGATING MOST AMUSEMENT
RIDE ACCIDENTS HERE IN OUR
STATE.
>> ACCORDING TO RECORDS IN
STATEMENTS RELEASED BY THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER
SERVICES FRIDAY AFTERNOON,
BOTH THE 3 BALL AND SLING SHOT
SUPER RIDES AT ICON PARK WERE
INSPECTED, APPROVED AND
PERMITTED IN DECEMBER AND
BECAUSE THEY ARE PERMANENT
RIDES, THEY WERE DUE FOR
ANOTHER INSPECTION UNTIL JUNE.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST DEATH TO
HAPPEN HERE AT ICON PARK IN
TWENTY-TWENTY. A 21 YEAR-OLD
MAN FELL TO HIS DEATH WHILE
CONDUCTING A SAFETY CHECK AT
STARFLYER. RIGHT? THAT’S OWNED
AND OPERATED BY SLINGSHOT
GROUP OF COMPANIES. THE SAME
GROUP WHO OPERATES ORLANDO
FREE FALL. BUT THAT ACCIDENT
WAS DEEMED WORK-RELATED. SO
INSTEAD IT WAS INVESTIGATED BY
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. THE
HARNESSES.
>> AFTER LOCK IN AND IF THEY
HAVE TO LOCK OR ELSE, THE RIDE
WILL NOT OPERATE. SO.
>> THIS IS WHAT WE’RE LOOKING
INTO IN FLORIDA. A LAND KNOWN
FOR THEME PARK ATTRACTIONS
AMUSEMENT RIDE, SAFETY
PERMITTING AN ACCIDENT
INSPECTIONS FALL ON THE
SHOULDERS FDACS WRITES GET
INSPECTED WHEN THEY ARE FIRST
BUILT WHENEVER A TEMPORARY
RIGHT MOVES TO A NEW LOCATION
AND PERMIT RIDES LIKE ORLANDO
FREE FALL THAT INSPECTED TWICE
A YEAR. BUT THIS IS ONLY FOR
SMALLER THEME PARKS, THOSE
THAT EMPLOY 1000 PEOPLE OR
LESS PARKS THAT EMPLOY MORE
THAN 1000 PEOPLE LIKE DISNEY
WORLD. UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AND
SEAWORLD ARE EXEMPT FROM STATE
OVERSIGHT FDACS INSPECTIONS.
INSTEAD, LARGER PARKS ARE
ALLOWED TO INSPECT THEIR OWN
RIGHTS AND REPORT THEIR
FINDINGS TO THE STATE.
RIGHTS AND REPORT THEIR
FINDINGS TO THE STATE. Greatness Lives Here. >> NOW, ACCORDING TO F TAX
OWNER, OPERATORS OF THESE
RIGHTS SHOULD BE INSPECTING
THEM EVERY MORNING BEFORE THEY
OPEN THEM TO THE PUBLIC. WE
REACHED OUT TO THE CEO OF ICON
PARK. HE HAS NOT RETURNED OUR
REQUEST FOR COMMENT.
>> MATT: MARIS, CAN YOU TELL
US ABOUT THE MANUFACTURE OF
THAT PARTICULAR RIGHT?
US ABOUT THE MANUFACTURE OF
THAT PARTICULAR RIGHT? Greatness Lives Here. >> YEAH, THAT’S A GOOD
QUESTION. SO THE MANUFACTURER
OF THIS RIDE IS ACTUALLY BASED
OVERSEAS. THEY GO BY THE NAME,
FUN TIME AND THROUGH SLINGSHOT
GROUP, THEY ACTUALLY OPERATE A
BUNCH OF RIGHTS HERE IN
FLORIDA, NOT JUST AT ICON
PARK. WE DID REACH OUT TO
THEIR OFFICES IN AUSTRALIA AND
AUSTRIA.
>> BUT WE ALSO HAVEN’T
RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THEM
EITHER. GUYS.
>> GINGER: THERE IS BACK ON
REPORTING LIVE NEAR US. THANK
YOU. NEWS 6 WILL CONTINUE TO
FOLLOW THE LATEST ON THIS