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Deaths At Kings Island


Dane
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Sorry if this has already been written about, but here is Kings Island's death tally: In 1976, a 20 year old ranger on Lion Country Safari, John McCann, ran from his jeep into the lion area without his shotgun to use the bathroom. He was mauled by the lions and died on the spot.

1983: Tower Johnny. I already covered this in greater detail here: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php/topic/31433-clearing-up-tower-johnny/

1986: a 26 year old man dives into the Royal Fountains from the bandstand. He breaks his neck and dies.

1989: 39 year old Thomas Cahill is a park employee walking through the parking lot to get back to his car in a thunder storm-while carrying his tuba. He is struck by lightning and dies.

1991: 20 year old William Haithcoat and 20 year old park security guard Darrell Robertson are electrocuted by a faulty aerator pump in the Oktoberfest Pond trying to save 22 year old Timothy Benning, who survived the incident. 37 minutes later, 32 year old Candy Taylor, who is riding on Fight Commander passes out (she was very, very drunk), slides beneath her restraints into the unnocupied seat next her and falls to her death.

2003: A woman has a heart attack on Top Gun (now The Bat) and died the next day in the hospital.

2009: A man has a heart attack on Firehawk and dies later that day in a hospital.

One story that I have heard but I cannot validate was that a six year old boy died of natural causes in 1978 while riding what's now Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown.

Kings Island is a very safe place. Most of the incidents above were blamed on the victim. If I have made any errors, feel free to correct me. Sorry if this has already been covered on this thread before, but I love clearing up the truths on things.

-Ghost Guy

Excellent post, but there's a couple things I'd make note of:

-1986, when the man dived into the fountain I don't believe he actually passed away until a week later in the hospital.

-In 2007 a man passed away a day after riding Son of Beast - (http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/news/local/son-of-beasts-history-rough-for-park-riders-1/nM2M9/). Pre-existing conditions were involved, but that is also the case of other deaths already listed here.

-If you count the Kings Island Campground as part of Kings Island, there are then at least two additional deaths. In April 1986 Robert Weight passed away in James Keith Smith's trailer at the campground. In June Smith was charged by a jury with aggravated murder, tampering with evidence, and obstructing official business.

-I cannot find a source for this, but I think I once read about a toddler being run-over by an RV at the campground and passing away.

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Spectrum: The fountain incident-the newspaper article that referenced the incident did not say how long after he jumped into the fountain he died. Thanks for clearing that up, though.

SOB-thank you for bringing attention to that one as well! I actually never heard about that incident. Also, the article refers to Don Helbig as "Kings Island spokeswoman".

Campground Murder-I have heard of this one as well, I do not count the campground as Kings Island itself.

Toddler death-I haven't heard of this one, but I do know in 2010 a child was run over and killed by a bus at Disney World's Fort Wilderness Campground. You may be confusing this with Kings Island.

-Ghost Guy

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^I'm pretty confident that the toddler death occurred at Kings Island sometime in the 1980s, but I cannot find any sources on it. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

In addition to getting an organized list of deaths at the park, it could also be beneficial to have one of accidents in general. I may start trying to compile a list if I get the chance.

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