Amusement Park Operator Killed In Washington

Associated Press ^ | )8-16-2003 | AP Newswire

[buccaneer81]

Amusement Park Operator Killed in Wash.

LANGLEY, Wash. (AP) - An amusement park operator was killed Saturday when his hair got caught on a roller coaster car, pulling him up as high as 40 feet before he fell, back-first, onto a fence.

Doug McKay, 40, was spraying lubricant on the tracks of the Super Loop 2, a ride at the Island County Fair on Whidbey Island, when his long hair got caught on a car full of fairgoers, sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Smith said.

``It basically scalped him, and he fell and landed on the fence,'' Smith said.

McKay, co-owner of Paradise Amusements, based in Post Falls, Idaho, was pulled between 25 and 40 feet into the air.

Paradise Amusements had set up rides at the Island County Fair, located about 30 miles northwest of Seattle, for the past three years, Smith said.

Smith said grief counselors were on hand but that the fair continued after the incident.

[buccaneer81]

Sounds wonderful. We would kill for an ocean in Central Ohio ;-) But we satisfy ourselves with a week in Panama City Beach every summer.

[oprahstheantichrist]

"...spraying lubricant on the tracks of the Super Loop 2,... when his long hair got caught on a car full of fairgoers."

Okay, somebody fill me in here. Why would anyone be lubing the tracks while the ride is operating???"

[Welsh Rabbit]

I couldn't even imagine a worse way to die. I'll remember him in church tommorrow.

[Welsh Rabbit]

I love the Puget Sound/Cascade Range area. Growing up an army brat, Ft. Lewis was my favorite place my family was stationed. I may move back to that area yet, if the proper opportunity ever presents itself.

[GodfearingTexan]

i bet it would suck to be scalped and then fall back-first onto a fence from 40 ft up.

wasnt there a book out recently called "my life as a carny" or something to that effect? i wanna get that.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

We need all the conservatives we can get! Hurry!!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Whidbey Island is quite beautiful, and really captures the flavor of the Pacific Northwest (as do the San Juan Islands) - I don't know how real estate prices are on Whidbey, though. Did you guys check into it? (My ex-boyfriend's family had a GIANT piece of property in Langley, but they've had it for fifty years, probably.)

[GodfearingTexan]

Side Show: My Life With Geeks, Freaks & Vagabonds in the Carny Trade by Howard Bone

[rockfish59]

This is near me! (Rainier in background)

[rockfish59]

Sheesh! Poor guy!

[Chad Fairbanks]

``It basically scalped him, and he fell and landed on the fence,'' Smith said.

I deny any knowledge or involvement in any scalping-related activities...

[BCrago66]

If he's the "operator" - meaning if he had an ownership stake - I admire the guy for doing a dangerous task himself, and not leaving it for some kid to do it.

[MediaMole]

It was a line from an old song -- Signs by the Five Man Electric Band.

[Welsh Rabbit]

Having Rainier always in the background (if it wasn't raining too hard) was one of the main things I miss about living in Washington. I Corps had their flagpole situated to where the flag would fly a little off center to the left of Rainier. A truly majestic sight on a clear day.

[Welsh Rabbit]

Maybe when I get out of school...

[Bullish]

Damn, and he just shampooed.

Hey the fair must go on, right?

Pretty grissly for the witnesses, though.

[snodog]

Yee-haw Enumclaw!

[oceanperch]

You know how things go by the wayside?

It amazes me that carnivals are still around.

I might feel different if I had kiddies that enjoyed going.

Do other Freepers still take their families to traveling carnivals?

[rockfish59]

My nephew flies model airplanes at Fort Lewis.
Been to a couple air shows at McChord.
We're going to 'Paradise' on Monday and I'm going to hike to the Carbon glacier again!
The river salmon also opens Sept. 1st!

[rockfish59]

EnumclawPlace Of The Evil Spirit!