"Quoth the raven...keep your seats."
LOL!
Posted on 06/04/2003 5:50:00 PM PDT by WellsFargo94
The Manhattan woman thrown to her death from an Indiana roller coaster had unbuckled her seat belt and was "virtually standing up" as the thrill ride careened along at 60 mph, authorities said yesterday. The stunning revelation came as 1,500 relatives and friends attended funeral services for Tamar Fellner, 32, who had earned a Harvard M.B.A. and ran her own business.
Spencer County Prosecutor Jon Dartt said witnesses at the Holiday World & Splashin' Safari park saw Fellner unlatch her seat belt and get up in a bid to get what roller-coaster enthusiasts call air time.
She made the fatal mistake of trying the daredevil move Saturday night on The Raven - one of the world's most terrifying roller coasters, he said.
Fellner, who weighed 100 pounds, was ejected from the car she shared with her fiancé, Robert Weitzner, and plunged 69 feet to her death.
"Witnesses state that near the time of the accident, an individual matching the description of Ms. Fellner was seen in the last car of the roller coaster virtually standing up while the ride was in progress," said Dartt, adding that he was awaiting the results of toxicology tests.
Fellner was a member of American Coaster Enthusiasts, a group of thrill seekers who met over the weekend at the park for the annual Stark Raven Mad Event.
Safety warning
Holiday World spokeswoman Paula Werne said the group had been warned not to tamper with the safety equipment during the 100-second ride.
At a welcoming ceremony the night before the accident, Werne went over the rules, she said.
"I specifically said, 'Leave your seat belt buckled; don't mess with our safety equipment. We're here to have fun,'" Werne told the Daily News yesterday. "We said it, we put it in writing. But yet what you prayed not to happen, unfortunately happened."
Sean Flaharty, a spokesman for American Coaster Enthusiasts, said he was shocked that someone in his group would be so careless. "In my opinion, the ride is thrilling enough," said Flaharty, who rode The Raven moments before the accident.
As The Raven remained shut yesterday, 1,500 people filled Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston, N.J., for Fellner's funeral.
"She was spirited and intelligent," said Arianna Patterson, a member of the temple where Felner's father, Azriel Fellner, is the rabbi. "She was always trying to better herself and help people. Her death makes no sense."
With Chelsea Phua
According to the local news article:
The Raven will remain closed until an independent coaster expert has the opportunity to inspect the ride again.
It seems as though the Rabbi has already taken care of that.
I take it you are suggesting another Laci Peterson style murder mystery... that her fiancé unbelted her?
"Quoth the raven...keep your seats."
LOL!
Good catch! (no pun intended...but why the heck not!)
You guys are going over the top now.
You guys are going over the top now.
I see you fell right into it.
You guys are going over the top now.
I see you fell right into it.
Yeah, I knew three was a downside to me getting involved.
You guys are going over the top now.
I see you fell right into it.
Yeah, I knew three was a downside to me getting involved.
You really threw yourself into this one.
EXCUSE ME?
What doesn't make any sense are her actions on the rollercoaster.
What won't make any sense in the near future is the lawsuit that will surely be leveled at the ride's operators, in spite of the fact that they appeared to have given not only verbal, but written warning against what she did.
The only thing that makes any kind of sense here is the fact that she got killed.
You guys are going over the top now.
I see you fell right into it.
Yeah, I knew three was a downside to me getting involved.
You really threw yourself into this one.
But I was only hoping to get in on the ground floor.
Belt yourself in and enjoy the ride.
There wasn't much of a line to get on the ride so I guess this accident has put a dampner on this park.
It's too bad for the park that someone's stupidity has effected their business.
Personally, I scream my fool head off on kiddie rollercoasters, and won't ride the huge ones. Have to say that I love the teacups!
I've always had a fear of falling to my death so I hold on tight on the rollar coaster rides.
Actually we enjoyed the waterpark there more so. I liked this park and think its a shame that this girl pulled this stunt. We talked about this with the people who worked in the hotel and park about this and they seemed truly sadden by this death.
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