Antioch, Illinois – Carnival rides were immediately halted at the Taste of Summer festival in Antioch, Illinois, after a 10-year-old boy was thrown from the Moby Dick ride, sustaining serious injuries. The incident occurred on Sunday, during the festival located approximately 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) northwest of Chicago, near the Wisconsin border.
The Moby Dick ride, known for securing riders at the shoulders and then moving up and down at increasing speeds, resulted in the boy being forcefully ejected from his seat.
The incident was witnessed by numerous attendees, leaving a lasting impact on the community, as described by Charles Smith, the operations commander at the Antioch police department. Smith stated, “It’s a traumatic event for our community.”
Antioch police reported that the boy was promptly transported to a hospital in Chicago with non-life-threatening injuries, including multiple facial fractures and a significant leg injury.
The tweet below verifies the news:
He was taken to a hospital in Chicago with injuries including multiple facial fractures and a significant leg injury, Antioch police said. https://t.co/1rCPyO9yFk
— FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) July 18, 2023
The police also confirmed that the Moby Dick ride had undergone inspection earlier this year and had been granted a state permit. However, in response to the accident, Mayor Scott Gartner decided to shut down all rides at the Taste of Summer festival.
Antioch Police Chief Geoff Guttschow assured that his department would thoroughly investigate the incident, examining any potential reckless or negligent acts that may have contributed to the boy’s injuries. State regulators responsible for ride inspections have also joined the investigation, which is anticipated to span several months.
Similar incidents involving amusement rides have occurred this summer. On July 2, eight individuals were trapped upside down on a roller coaster at a festival in Crandon, Wisconsin. Additionally, on June 30, a significant crack was discovered in the support column of Fury 325, a towering roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Eyewitness Erin Maloney, who was waiting with her son to ride the Moby Dick, recounted the distressing moment. She stated, “I turned and I hear a woman screaming… And my son said, ‘Mom, look.’ I turned around and this little boy was just on the pavement, not moving, not responsive.”
As investigations continue, the organizers of the Taste of Summer festival and local authorities are expected to implement necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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