Man paralyzed after riding 55-year-old roller coaster in South Carolina, suit claims

A North Carolina couple is suing a Myrtle Beach theme park after they say a man was paralyzed after riding a roller coaster.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in the Horry County Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court.

In the lawsuit, the couple said the plaintiff’s husband visited the Family Kingdom Amusement Park in South Carolina on July 23, 2021 and rode the Swamp Fox Roller Coaster.

“While riding the roller coaster as a result of the negligence, carelessness, recklessness, willfulness and wantonness of the Defendants, (the man) suffered an acute injury to his spinal cord which caused quadriplegia,” the lawsuit reads, which names Family Kingdom Inc, Leigh V. Meese, Donnie Snipes and Ocean Avenue Attractions LLC as defendants.

The plaintiff said in the lawsuit that the theme park didn’t examine the ride to make sure it was operating properly, and that the ride’s issues deemed the roller coaster “extremely dangerous, more so than a typical roller coaster.”

The plaintiff alleges that the ride caused a spinal cord injury and because of this, the couple is seeking damages.

 According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff is suing for loss of companionship, fellowship, aid, assistance, company and more.

Family Kingdom Amusement Park did not immediately respond to requests for comment and it was not clear who is representing the defendants in court.

Different park goer previously sued company

This isn’t the first time someone has sued Family Kingdom Amusement Park: In 2019, a woman sued the park and said she was hurt riding the same roller coaster the year before;.

In her lawsuit, she said the roller coaster rose up off its tracks and slammed down, exacerbating her previous back injury. She wrote in the lawsuit that the Swamp Fox Roller Coaster sent riders on a much rougher ride than other coasters.

The case was ultimately dismissed, online court records show.

According to the amusement park's website, the Swamp Fox Roller Coaster opened in May 1966. It was initially known as the "Red Devil" because of its color scheme. It stands 72 feet tall and has a track measuring about 2,400 feet.

"Over the years, the Swamp Fox underwent several renovations and upgrades to ensure a safe yet thrilling ride, solidifying its status as a classic wooden coaster despite the rise of modern steel coasters with advanced technology," the company said about the coaster.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her at[email protected].