Posted on 05/01/2024 8:50:53 AM PDT by grundle
Over the last 30 years, 14 people, including three University of California, Santa Barbara, students, have fallen to their deaths from the same stretch of cliffs in Isla Vista, a neighborhood along the coast in Santa Barbara.
Jacob Parker, a 23-year-old UCSB alumnus who graduated last spring, became the 14th victim to fall off the cliffs' edge while he was attending an afternoon party April 20 at one of the many houses that back up onto the bluffs.
"He had so much potential. I was just looking forward to seeing what he would accomplish in life. This was just the beginning," Jake's mother, Deborah Parker, told Fox News Digital. "It's just tragic that it was taken away from him."
... the 6-foot-1 Jake climbed over a 42-inch tall metal wire fence onto a 33-inch wide concrete ledge, bordered by an 18-inch tall metal rail along the cliff's edge in an effort to make it to the gazebo. While trying to climb back over into the party, Jake lost his footing and fell about 50 feet to his death.
Deborah Parker and Jake's father, George Parker, have described their son's death as preventable — particularly after local lawmakers passed a safety plan in November requiring all new fences to be 6 feet tall following the death of 19-year-old UCSB student Benjamin "Benny" Schurmer on Labor Day last year.
"I'm heartbroken. I'm crushed," Jake's father, George Parker, told Fox News Digital. "I'm at the point where this is now my work. Not just getting enforcement, but I really want to push for criminal charges."
Jake's parents are pursuing criminal charges — including involuntary manslaughter — as well as a civil case related to their son's death in the hope there will not be a 15th victim.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
It’s not just this generation of college kids.
I remember in the ‘80s seeing classmates jumping off of a two-story building into a pool which had 6 to 8 foot concrete perimeter. One girl slipped on the jump and barely made it into the pool. I had to leave after that. Fortunately, no one was injured.
He gets a Darwin Award for climbing over the fence. No doubt the hosts will be sued for serving alcohol and having an inadequate fence. However all Darwin awards are earned by personal choices.
FA&FO
He could have prevented it by not climbing the fence.
This is California. Nothing is ever anybody’s fault.
But cal sure gives us enough entry into the Darwin Awards to be a player!
Based on what I read, I cannot imagine what the basis of criminal liability would be. Did the homeowner’s fence violate the local ordinance in height or construction? Did someone push this guy out and over the fence? Neither appear to be the case, they had a 3 foot fence in place, and this guy did a very stupid thing with tragic consequences. Nothing I’ve read here would indicate criminal liability on the part of anyone and sadly, sometimes the victim’s own actions are what is responsible for a waste of their lives.
He chose poorly....
Back in the old days before OSHA, I worked everyday with ironworkers that would walk across 8” beams 200’ in the air and thought nothing of it. This guy must have been so drunk that he couldn’t stay on a 33” wide paved section of concrete with an 18” high “last-warning” metal railing without staggering off the edge....crazy. He may have been so drunk/disoriented enough to trip over that lower railing.
Regardless, this lawsuit is utter BS.
I propose we rename this “Darwin’s Falls”
Put up signs and charge admission. Make it into a theme park.
Gee, if only the fence had been taller….
Morons.
Accept responsibility! The guy took a short cut.
Died of stupid.
I'm sad for his family. I have adult children who have done stupid stuff.
So Dad was right, it was preventable...by his idiot son.
“including three University of California, Santa Barbara, students”
Apparently that college is not attracting “the best and the brightest”.
“I was looking forward to what he could accomplish in his life” Well, he did win the Darwin Award.
Better yet, maybe they should ban gravity!
“He had so much potential...”
I am not convinced of that given the stupid thing he did. His father is now trying to capitalize on his son’s stupid death.
Young, stupid, drunk, none of those will earn you an exemption from gravity. And a 23-year-old college graduate should know that.
14 people over a 30 year period of time covering a stretch of homes? That’s one every other year.
Suicide cliff? No, just 14 stupid people.
Guess we need to ban cliffs. maybe we need to put everyone in 2 feet of bubble wrap.
The universe must be child-proofed!
This is a sad story for the simple sense that was sorely lacking on the part of the deceased.
Then maddening because of the parents’ blaming everything/everyone else. If only there had been a stronger leash.
Then awkwardly amusing for the unfortunate wording from the grieving parent:
“I’m heartbroken. I’m crushed,” Jake’s father, George Parker, told Fox News Digital.
I’d chalk this one up to genetics.
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