Fla. Drop Tower Ride Tech Alleges Safety Issues Were Ignored Before Tyre Sampson's Death
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03/20/2025 12:18 PM
A new lawsuit filed in Florida alleges the supervisor and owner of the ride continued to operate the ride despite knowing the safety issues that existed
Family Photo; Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP
From Left: Tyre Sampson; and the FreeFall in FloridaA maintenance technician for the FreeFall ride at an amusement park in Florida claims in a new lawsuit that safety issues were ignored before a Missouri teen fell from the ride and died.
Austin Campbell-Alexander claims he was unlawfully terminated from his job at ICON Park in Orlando after expressing concerns about the safety of the FreeFall ride before and after the death of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson in March 2022, according to the complaint filed on Wednesday, March 19.
Per the documents obtained by PEOPLE, Campbell-Alexander allegedly first "uncovered safety issues" in January 2022. That's when he learned that the seats on the ride "were being manually bypassed," allowing two seats on the ride "to accommodate larger patrons over certain height and weight limits."
Additionally, Campbell-Alexander allegedly warned of an overheating cylinder on the seats "responsible for locking/holding the customer" in place and cracks on the joints of the gondola, which "holds and transports all of the seats."
Campbell-Alexander reported these findings to his supervisor, Jorge Foti, and the owner of Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot, Ritchie Armstrong, who allowed the ride to continue operating, according to the complaint.
Two months after the safety issues were first reported, Sampson died after falling from the ride.
Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP
The FreeFall ride at the ICON Park entertainment complex in Orlando, Fla.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Then, three days after Sampson's death, the complaint alleges Campbell-Alexander was interviewed by an investigator at Armstrong's office, where the technician claimed the ride was being operated for profit over safety.
He also claims that he refused to "fraudulently" backfill maintenance logs to cover for the "illegal activities" during the meeting.
The technician was then placed on paid leave for a year, the complaint states. Then in March 2023, after the civil suit had been settled, he was told he was being terminated.
Attorneys for Campbell-Alexander from the Morgan & Morgan law firm claimed in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that their client was fired "in retaliation for the safety concerns he'd flagged."
"Instead of taking accountability for their actions, the defendants allegedly tried to cover up their mistakes," said Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Greg Schmitz.
They added, "We will work to hold Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot accountable and send a message to all ride owners and operators that you cannot sweep safety concerns under the rug or punish workers who bring them to light."
Trevor Arnold and Brian Bieber, attorneys from the GrayRobinson, PA law firm representing the defendants, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that Campbell-Alexander's claims "are in direct conflict with statements he provided following the accident."
"Our clients promptly investigated the tragic accident that resulted in the death of Tyre Sampson," they stated. "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."
They added, "Upon learning of Mr. Campbell-Alexander's and other employees' conduct, we proactively notified investigating authorities. At all times, we cooperated with the investigators. We worked diligently to resolve the litigation and claims with Tyre's family as well as the administrative agencies involved."
