Tower Johnny?(or something like that)

[CP+KI Girl]

I want to know the story, because I've seen him mention in a few topics.

[maverick2007]

I don't know the full story but from what I know a teenager(?) climbed into an off-limits area of the Eiffel Tower and was decapitated by the Tower's counterweights. Supposedly he still haunts the park today.

[Diamondback FOF]

I think I read a teenager got frunk at the park one night. He decided to go up the tower and go into a restricted area. The counter weights struck him and (I think) decapitated him. It is rumored the elevator cables are buried by The Beast's final helix, and while riding The Beast, if you look closely, you can see red eyes in the woods, which are supposedly his.

[StarryEyes]

As far as I know he fell. But you know how it is with internet rumors so I looked it up. As I thought it doesn't mention the exact nature of his fate although I am not so sure he was beheaded.

From RideAccidents.com (sorry I just found it on the fly):

Friday, May 13, 1983 - A teenager was killed after falling from the Eiffel Tower attraction at Kings Island Amusement Park in Kings Island, Ohio. He was in a restricted area of the attraction when he fell.

All other sites confirm that is indeed what happened but how exactly he met his demise is left somewhat to the twisted minds of internet junkies like ourselves.

Can anyone confirm the accuracy of said information?

And on an interesting note most of the injuries that Kings Island has had have come from very irresponsible people or persons whom just didn't know they had a preexisting condition.

Like the lady whom climbed out of Top Gun while intoxicated. (Not sure if that was real though) And the incident when the lady fell from Flight Commander, which was then shut down. Not of her own doing by some accounts and by others it was. I have to say all in all though Kings Island has a fantastic track record. Nothing is without risk, people get hurt walking down the street and in their cars.

One site even claims that there are rumors of unreported accidents but seeing as that is illegal I doubt that is the case.

On a lighter note...

Some do claim that Kings Island is haunted!

I would say that it is possible. I believe in ghost. But keep this in mind... many times the stories behind the tragedies are false or stretched a bit. Take it with a grain of salt. Believe me safety is Kings Island's first priority. Should be at any park but I shall not point fingers.

There have been deaths there and it would be interesting to explore this. I wonder if they would let someone come in to do a report on it? I doubt it seeing as that wouldn't be so good for publicity.

[Gamesaudio]

I can tell you what happened but I won't as it isn't my place to do so. But I will confirm the kid did get killed for being stupid. Past that everything else reported before this post is an untrue rumor. And thats all I've got to say about the subject.

[skaterboy22101]

I have done a lot of rechearch on this, as I love ghost stories. Johnny was drunk and messing around with his friends. They went up on to the 50th foot platform on the Eiffel Tower. He thought it would be fun to scare his friends as they were coming down from the top level. So, Johnny jumped a fence and waited for the elevator to come down. As the elevator passed him, he jumped on top of it. Well the counter weight hit him, and, well you get the picture.

[maverick2007]

I can tell you what happened but I won't as it isn't my place to do so. But I will confirm the kid did get killed for being stupid. Past that everything else reported before this post is an untrue rumor. And thats all I've got to say about the subject.

Please... if you have something you can't speak of for whatever reasons don't tease us by just saying you know things about it and telling us something all the previous posters said.

[Guest TombraiderTy]

Like the lady whom climbed out of Top Gun while intoxicated. (Not sure if that was real though) And the incident when the lady fell from Flight Commander, which was then shut down. Not of her own doing by some accounts and by others it was. I have to say all in all though Kings Island has a fantastic track record. Nothing is without risk, people get hurt walking down the street and in their cars.

The woman who died a day after riding Top Gun had heart conditions and suffered from a heart-attack while/after riding.

Candy Taylor, the woman who died after being thrown from Flight Commander, was intoxicated, but it was not her own fault. Instead, it was a design flaw that Intamin was held responsible for, although Kings Island's operating procedures in the early 1990s were also a factor. They have since been changed, almost completely eliminating the possibility of a duplicate accident.

Regarding "Tower Johnny", from an old Bryan Times news article, dated May 17, 1983:

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at the Ashbury United Methodist Church for a 17-year-old Delaware Hayes High School senior killed in a fall at Kings Island. John Harter died last Friday night when he fell from the amusement park's 330-foot-high replica of the Eiffel Tower.

[StarryEyes]

@Tombraider

Thank you so much for clearing that up. It seems stories get jumbled and twisted a bit through time and retelling.

[Gamesaudio]

I can tell you what happened but I won't as it isn't my place to do so. But I will confirm the kid did get killed for being stupid. Past that everything else reported before this post is an untrue rumor. And thats all I've got to say about the subject.

Please... if you have something you can't speak of for whatever reasons don't tease us by just saying you know things about it and telling us something all the previous posters said.

Excuse me? All I did was verify what was true and confirmed what was rumor. I never repeated or said anything that was said before. I did what someone asked for:

Can anyone confirm the accuracy of said information?

The following posts have some truth but again, there are further details. But I don't want to be accused again of "teasing" anyone.

[maverick2007]

Just to explain to you what I meant. It was not directed as an insult but rather as a pet peeve of mine.

I can tell you what happened but I won't as it isn't my place to do so.

What? If you can give us an accurate interpretation of the event do so but don't tell us you can give an accurate story but don't want to/can't. Just to give you a better view of what this is very similar to: "Ohh... I know what the new coaster is but I can't tell you."

[CedarPointer]

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at the Ashbury United Methodist Church for a 17-year-old Delaware Hayes High School senior killed in a fall at Kings Island. John Harter died last Friday night when he fell from the amusement park's 330-foot-high replica of the Eiffel Tower.

So Tower Johnny was killed on Friday the 13th?

[maverick2007]

^That would be an odd coincidence. Wouldn't it?

[The Interpreter]

Yes, he died on Friday the 13th.

[CedarPointer]

Creepy. Double creepy!

[skaterboy22101]

I can tell you what happened but I won't as it isn't my place to do so. But I will confirm the kid did get killed for being stupid. Past that everything else reported before this post is an untrue rumor. And thats all I've got to say about the subject.

Please... if you have something you can't speak of for whatever reasons don't tease us by just saying you know things about it and telling us something all the previous posters said.

Excuse me? All I did was verify what was true and confirmed what was rumor. I never repeated or said anything that was said before. I did what someone asked for:

Can anyone confirm the accuracy of said information?

The following posts have some truth but again, there are further details. But I don't want to be accused again of "teasing" anyone.

Then tell us. What all do you know? Where you there? Did you see it?

Like Maverick said, if you have something to say, say it. Don't just say I know what happened but I'm not going to tell because it is not my place. That just makes it seem like you know nothing about it.

[Coaster Kid]

Creepy. Double creepy!

Whats so creepy about Tueday the 17th?

[The Interpreter]

That was his funeral. He died on Friday the 13th, May 1983, more than 26 years ago.

Terpy, who suddenly feels very old again...

[CrashOverRided]

As far as I know he fell. But you know how it is with internet rumors so I looked it up. As I thought it doesn't mention the exact nature of his fate although I am not so sure he was beheaded.

From RideAccidents.com (sorry I just found it on the fly):

Friday, May 13, 1983 - A teenager was killed after falling from the Eiffel Tower attraction at Kings Island Amusement Park in Kings Island, Ohio. He was in a restricted area of the attraction when he fell.

All other sites confirm that is indeed what happened but how exactly he met his demise is left somewhat to the twisted minds of internet junkies like ourselves.

Can anyone confirm the accuracy of said information?

And on an interesting note most of the injuries that Kings Island has had have come from very irresponsible people or persons whom just didn't know they had a preexisting condition.

Like the lady whom climbed out of Top Gun while intoxicated. (Not sure if that was real though) And the incident when the lady fell from Flight Commander, which was then shut down. Not of her own doing by some accounts and by others it was. I have to say all in all though Kings Island has a fantastic track record. Nothing is without risk, people get hurt walking down the street and in their cars.

One site even claims that there are rumors of unreported accidents but seeing as that is illegal I doubt that is the case.

On a lighter note...

Some do claim that Kings Island is haunted!

I would say that it is possible. I believe in ghost. But keep this in mind... many times the stories behind the tragedies are false or stretched a bit. Take it with a grain of salt. Believe me safety is Kings Island's first priority. Should be at any park but I shall not point fingers.

There have been deaths there and it would be interesting to explore this. I wonder if they would let someone come in to do a report on it? I doubt it seeing as that wouldn't be so good for publicity.

I heard aboutn this many years ago, maybe i missed it but he didnt fall from the top did he?? he fell from the frist level observation deck?? and that why its closed to the public now. yes?

[WooferBearATL]

That was his funeral. He died on Friday the 13th, May 1983, more than 26 years ago.

Terpy, who suddenly feels very old again...

Lord, As Do I.

It seems like just yesterday.

Any idea why this thread is going? ..... Considering there is already an extensive thread?

[Gamesaudio]

Then tell us. What all do you know? Where you there? Did you see it?

Like Maverick said, if you have something to say, say it. Don't just say I know what happened but I'm not going to tell because it is not my place. That just makes it seem like you know nothing about it.

Ummm, OK then. You believe whatever helps you sleep at night.

[Debbie1972]

That was his funeral. He died on Friday the 13th, May 1983, more than 26 years ago.

Terpy, who suddenly feels very old again...

Lord, As Do I.

It seems like just yesterday.

Any idea why this thread is going? ..... Considering there is already an extensive thread?

That thread has a link to the KI ghost stories that was posted in 2003 but is now dead. Does anyone have a new link for that?

Thanks!

[Jasper]

There is an ongoing thread about KI being haunted, its about a gazillion pages long. My uncle was actually at the park the night this happened, I have never really asked him about it though. I am pretty sure it was a grad night event.

[Mighty Mouse]

There is an ongoing thread about KI being haunted, its about a gazillion pages long. My uncle was actually at the park the night this happened, I have never really asked him about it though. I am pretty sure it was a grad night event.

It was. I know it was Miamisburg's grad night event for one. My ex-husband and his best friend were at the park that night. And, for what it's worth, I do remember stories from then mentioning the counterweights and partial decapitation. I think that was from newspaper stories at the time but it might have been the story floating around the schools at the time too. I remember hearing that he had been drinking also. Kind of says something that alcohol seems to go hand-in-hand with people doing stupid stuff at amusement parks, doesn't it?

[gigacoaster2k]

I was curious to know the story of Tower Johnny too, but was too afraid to ask.. usually when I ask questions, I get looked at like I just announced that I was born on Jupiter.

[CP+KI Girl]

Mighty Mouse, i like your avatar.

[StalkerChick]

I can tell you what happened but I won't as it isn't my place to do so. But I will confirm the kid did get killed for being stupid. Past that everything else reported before this post is an untrue rumor. And thats all I've got to say about the subject.

o.m.g. then why the heck post anything at all?! its mundane BS like this that just drives ppl crazy and says you have no credibility WHATSOEVER!!! Someone asks for more information/confirmation on something which you CLAIM to have, yet just open your mouth to say "sure, but on second thought.... let me think of a better story first that tops all these other rumors" seriously... and basically if you were to ever actually "give the truth" i'm pretty sure 97% of ppl wouldn't even give it a 2nd glance and would probably blow you off. and i wouldn't blame a single one of them.

way to add the rumor mill a-hole....

*/end rant

I was curious to know the story of Tower Johnny too, but was too afraid to ask.. usually when I ask questions, I get looked at like I just announced that I was born on Jupiter.

wait you weren't?! O:) <3

[thunderbucks]

It's up to Gamesaudio or anyone else to verify exactly what happened, but after some looking around, John Wesley Harter did in fact die on May 13, 1983 off the Eiffel Tower.

NY Times had a snippet to write for this in 1983

And if you scroll far enough you will find his name in a listing of burials at Oak Grove Cemetary in Delaware, OH.

It's always interesting to research into these kind of things and find as much truth as you can!

[Guest TombraiderTy]

^Look at post number 8 in this topic- I already provided a citation from a newspaper article that confirmed the incident

[Tanna]

^Look at post number 8 in this topic- I already provided a citation from a newspaper article that confirmed the incident

I found out the night it happened, from a friend who was working at KI that night. I recall him being a character actor. I don't know if he was working or on break, but he was by the Eiffel Tower when it happened.

The operator of the elevator said there was a thump. then blood started running down the outside of the box.

I don't want to say his name, but the character actor saw the elevator himself. He was close enough when it came down to see it.

He was shaking when he talked about it. I was at his girlfriend's house at the time, (she was my cousin,) when he came over to talk about it. He was let off of work early.

My aunt got him some of her best scotch, and he told us about what he saw and heard.

From what the police could tell, John Harter was climbing on the inside of the tower to the top. There was no room for both him and the counterweight where he was climbing. As he was climbing up, the counterweight came down, smashing him full on, and that's when he fell onto the top of the elevator. It evidently wasn't a simple decapitation, because they had a large area taped off to look for body parts.

Edit:

I called my cousin and double checked the story. The counter weight was going up, caught him, and dragged him through the rollers at the top of the tower. I had my direction wrong.