In Florida, workers dismantled the attraction, which killed a teenager

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Nearly a year after a Missouri teenager crashed to his death, a 400-foot ride was dismantled this week in a central Florida tourist corridor.

A giant crane hovered on Wednesday next to a towering attraction in the Orlando International Drive tourist district where 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell in March 2022. The attraction surrounded a fence and blocked sections of nearby sidewalk and road. It was expected that the dismantling of the attraction would take several days.

Sampson, who lives in the St. Louis area, was visiting Orlando during spring break when he died from a fall.

An autopsy revealed that Tyre Sampson had sustained numerous broken bones and internal injuries in the fall, which was ruled an accident. This showed that Sampson weighed 383 lb (173 kg), well over the owner’s manual weight limit of 287 lb (130 kg).

The initial report from outside engineers hired by the Florida Department of Agriculture said the sensors were manually adjusted during the ride to double the size of the restraint hole on the two seats, resulting in the teen not being properly secured. The report said there were many other “potential contributions” to the accident.

Tyre Sampson’s family filed a lawsuit against the ride’s owner, manufacturer, and owner, alleging they were negligent and failed to provide a safe ride.

The Florida Legislature is considering legislation aimed at preventing such accidents. The Sampson Tire Act will prevent operators of small Florida rides from making unauthorized changes to ride safety systems and will require operators to provide more detailed safety and operational documentation to the state.

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