A jury has determined that the manufacturer of an amusement ride should pay millions to the family of a teen who died after falling from the ride.

©ICON Park

Funtime Handels, the foreign company that made the FreeFall drop tower ride, has been ordered to pay $310 million in damages to the family.

According to WESH news, an Orange County jury determined on Thursday that Funtime Handels should pay $310 million in damages to the family of Tyre Sampson, who fell to his death on the ride in March 2022.

Sampson was spending spring break in Orlando when he boarded the FreeFall drop tower at ICON Park, which featured a 400-foot drop. When the teen was on the ride, he slipped out of his harness and fell to the ground as the ride was descending, which resulted in his death.

©ICON Park

A state investigation confirmed that two seats had been adjusted to handle the teen’s size, which allowed him to slip out of his seat. According to the investigation, Sampson was over the recommended weight limit for the ride despite that information not being displayed anywhere near the ride. The owner was fined, and the ride was dismantled.

The Sampson family sued ICON Park and the FreeFall’s owner but settled the suits against them. The case against the ride’s manufacturer, Funtime Handels, was the only remaining suit.

The family’s lawyers argued the company failed to properly manufacture, design, and build the tower ride. “This calamity of errors, and mistakes and negligence has crossed over from Europe to Orlando,” said Michael Haggard, the Sampson family attorney.

©ICON Park

Additionally, state lawmakers passed a new law in Tyre Sampson’s name that enhances regulations for amusement park rides. Our thoughts are with Sampson’s family.