Boy thrown from ride at Virginia state fair hospitalized in latest amusement park accident

A young boy is facing a long road to recovery after what was supposed to be a fun family day at the State Fair of Virginia.

The 8-year-old boy was enjoying a ride on an attraction called "The Storm" Friday afternoon when he sustained an injury, according to a report released by Caroline County Building Official Kevin Wightman. Virginia State Police responded to the call, arriving on scene around 3 p.m. and administered first aid before transporting the child to a nearby hospital.

The family’s attorney, David Silek, told USA TODAY that the boy sustained significant injuries when he was "sucked out" of his seat during the ride.

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8-year-old boy sustains injuries

Silek said the boy slid below the lap bar meant to secure him in place and was thrown out of his seat. "The Storm" continued to operate and the boy was then stuck by another cart, which flung his body up against a nearby fence.

His father, Matthew Nungent, noticed his son's empty seat when the cart he had been riding in came back around and began trying to get the operator's attention, Silek said. He was allegedly ignored until he finally jumped over the fence surrounding the ride to reach his child, at which point it was stopped.

Silek said the boy has suffered a broken foot and a severe laceration to his leg, which cut so deep it exposed muscle beneath the skin. Doctors had to anesthetize the boy in order to investigate the extent of the wound before stitching him up.

"A broken foot at the age of eight could lead to a lifelong problem if it doesn’t heal properly," Silek said. "They're focused on making sure his foot heals properly so he doesn't have issues for the rest of his life."

While Silek said the family has not had any contact with fair organizers or other involved parties since the incident, the family is concerned with the safety of similar attractions at fairs and amusement parks.

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Ride inspection

According to the incident report, parties including Virginia State Police, a representative of the State Fair, building inspection officials, third-party inspectors and representatives from the company that produced the ride, Deggeller Attractions, arrived on scene the same day to inspect the "The Storm" and recreate the conditions leading up to the incident.

This initial inspection turned up "no obvious failures of the equipment," according to the report. A review of statements provided by the involved parties after the fact also found "no mechanical or and/or operator errors that did not comply with the manufacture's specifications or governing code."

The family and Silek are not entirely convinced, however, as the boy continues to undergo medical care. According to Silek, despite reports finding nothing wrong with the attraction's function, the posted height minimum required to board the ride was increased the day after the accident.

"This summer we seem to have had a rash of amusement park problems that started very early in the seasons," Silek shared. "So, we are hoping that every amusement park and fair and carnival really does a much better job of inspecting all rides to assure safety and continue to inspect and make sure that the people that operate these rides are properly trained."

Deggeller Attractions and representatives from the State Fair of Virginia did not respond to request for comment.

Amusement attraction accidents

A spate of incidents related to amusement rides and attraction this summer season has left riders stuck or injured.

In August, guests were forced to walk down a 200-plus-foot roller coaster in Cedar Point, Ohio after the ride experienced a mechanical issue.

Back in July, fairgoers in Crandon, Wisconsin, ended up in a terrifying predicament when a malfunction left riders stuck upside down for hours.

Just two days prior, a North Carolina amusement park closed one of its rollercoasters after guests noticed a crack in one of its support pillars and video showed pieces moving out of place as cars moved along the tracks.

In June, a major accident killed one and injured nine after a rollercoaster derailed.

Saman Shafiq contributed reporting to this story.