Survivor of fireball accident at Ohio State Fair receives $20 million

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A woman who was seriously injured by a malfunction on the Fire Ball ride at the Ohio State Fair in 2017 has won a massive lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Keziah Lewis was awarded $20 million, according to a spokesperson for the Cooper Elliott law firm. The judge’s decision in the case was read at the Somerset County Courthouse in New Jersey, where KMG, the attraction’s manufacturer, is based. The lawsuit stems from an incident in which one person was killed and eight others injured after one of the attraction’s rows of seats “broke off” while it was swinging aboard with a full load of passengers.

All victims were taken to intensive care units at three hospitals in the Columbus area. One of the victims was Lewis, who spent months in the hospital and underwent 12 surgeries after she was thrown from her seat and fell to the ground.

Lewis’ boyfriend, Tyler Jarrell, was pronounced dead after the incident at the fairgrounds.

Lewis received $20 million, including $10 million in punitive damages. The total amount awarded by the court was $78 million, which was paid out to four injured parties, including Lewis and Jarrell’s estate.

The Cooper Elliot law firm stated: “The court concluded that KMG knew about the defect in the attraction as early as 2012 and failed to notify owners nationwide. This negligence, along with the carelessness of the attraction’s inspectors and operators, led to the tragic incident.”

After Ohio State Highway Patrol officers submitted their final reports, no charges were filed because Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien felt there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal proceedings.