Posted on 04/03/2018 5:46:51 PM PDT by Hojczyk
72-year-old John Schooley has been charged with second-degree murder in the tragic death of a child on the water slide he co-designed. Schooley was arrested at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Monday, just after returning from China. In addition to murder, Schooley also faces charges of aggravated battery and aggravated endangerment of a child.
A Kansas grand jury has indicted all three men involved in the incident that resulted in the decapitation of Caleb Schwab, son of Kansas State Representative Scott Schwab. The boy’s raft lost control on the 17-foot slide, and he was killed as he hit an overhead loop at high speed.
Charged along with Schooley are co-owner Jeffrey Henry and the private construction company of the park, Henry & Sons Construction Co. Both have been charged with reckless second-degree murder as well as 17 other felonies related to other incidents on the “Varruckt” slide.
But it was Schooley himself who signed off on the ride, claiming it met all of the required American Society for Testing and Materials standards for use. Even then, he allegedly said that “if we actually knew how to do this, and it could be done that easily, it wouldn’t be that spectacular.”
“Not a single engineer was directly involved in Verruckt’s dynamic engineering or slide path design,” according to the indictments. Those same indictments also claim that Henry rushed production of the slide in order to impress executives involved with a Travel Channel television program.
Thus far, the Schwab family has reached a $20 million settlement with the Schlitterbahn water park and companies associated with the slide’s production.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Agree. Second degree murder is an appropriate charge.
Well this shows that the mishap rate was so low that it didn’t discourage the traffic. Don’t the users have a say in what risk they wish to undertake?
RIP to the poor fellow of course. But in most sane societies this would result in taking the unit out of service till a thorough review of how it worked. I smell the vulcanization fumes of a political rubber room.
Not the only one confused...........
I don’t think you need malice for second degree murder. a prosecutor only needs to show wanton disregard to the effect of one’s actions that ends up costing somebody their life.
Dude I don’t think they posted the stats and videos at the ride entrance.
You!
I wouldn’t say one death in that many users over that many years is any more wanton than a bus.
Yes, this is akin to involuntary manslaughter. Contrary to what atty Comey would tell us, intent is not required, just wanton disregard in the design and construction and operation of the ride.
What’s this dooooood trip? People know gore makes news.
“Well this shows that the mishap rate was so low that it didn’t discourage the traffic. Don’t the users have a say in what risk they wish to undertake?”
Stupid comment. The riders didn’t know the risk.
The prosecutor is a little out of control on this???? Murder
Bye Bye amusement parks...
Prety obvious why the heavy charge here: “son of Kansas State Representative Scott Schwab.”
They knew it wasn’t on the news. So your comment is the unthinking one.
I smell ignorance in your post dood.
Also a little Googling would have shown the experience to that day.
It’s just too bad for nanny you that it took 13 years before anybody died on it.
Don’t have to think about the truth.
I smell ignorance of freedom in yours.
Using the right material does not correct a bad design. Sorry, but they will need a better defense then that.
The truth is that the experience rate was well findable via social media.
Jumped the shark.
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