OCEAN CITY, Md.- Friday, June 28, 2012 started out as a normal day at Trimper's Rides for J and his family until they rode the Hampton I, a mini car and truck ride, according to a lawsuit recently filed against the Ocean City amusement park.
According to the lawsuit, operator Tasha Purnell stopped the ride to let one child off, when J thinking the ride had ended also got out of his car.
The lawsuit claims that Purnell, without first confirming that the tracks were clear and that all passengers of the ride were secure, resumed the ride. That's when one of the ride vehicles slammed into J, the lawsuit alleges, adding that the intense impact of the collision slammed him down fracturing his skull on the cement floor.
According to the lawsuit, as J lay screaming, the ride vehicle continued rising off of the track and dragging his body forward, causing abrasions on his torso, arms, legs, and head.
The lawsuit alleges that as a result of the collision, J was slammed into the floor and crushed between the ride's tracks and the vehicle that had hit him, as the vehicle continued along the tracks.
The plaintiff's attorney, Chapman Petersen, stated that in any head injury case it takes awhile for a person to recover, which is part of the reason they have waited two years to file a lawsuit.
J, now 4-years-old, has lasting effects from the accident on his ability to perform daily activities, according to the lawsuit.
J's family continues to have significant medical expenses in an attempt to heal his injuries, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit claims that Purnell negligently failed to pay attention to the operation of the ride, keeping it under control and ensuring the tracks were kept clear.
Plaintiff Raffinee Mcneill, who is J's guardian, is suing Trimper's for $1 million.
WBOC reached out to Trimper's multiple times Thursday for comment but the company has yet to respond.
