Tyre Sampson: Teen remembered 3 years after fatal fall from Orlando thrill ride
Monday marks three years since a teenager fell from the Orlando Free Fall drop tower ride and died.
Tyre Sampson was just 14 years old when it happened.
Investigators say he was visiting ICON Park from out of town.
They said he slipped from his seat, which had been modified to fit larger riders.
Tyre's parents later sued the ride manufacturer.
In December, a jury ruled that the company should pay them $310 million.
In the wake of the tragedy, state lawmakers passed the Tyre Sampson Act.
The law requires clear signage for height and weight limits, expands operator training, and mandates stricter maintenance rules.
There are also unannounced inspections to ensure compliance, plus a new seat belt requirement for rides over 100 feet tall.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
St. Cloud to notify more than 7 thousand residents impacted by ransomware data breach
Thousands of St. Cloud residents are getting letters in the mail telling them their personal information was compromised duringa 2024 ransomware attack. According to the city, the attack happened between March 17th and March 25th last year when an unauthorized actor tapped into city systems to access personal information. The city said after the attack, they hired a third-party company which quickly started to investigate. The company found names, addresses, medical information, taxpayer IDs, and social security numbers were compromised. In total, 7,797 people were impacted, according to a city spokesperson. After the investigation, the city said it, worked to send notices as quickly as possible to those impacted. Letters were mailed to affected residents last week. 'Their data is probably sitting on the dark web right now, and it's likely being sold in some way, shape, form, or fashion to other threat groups,' said John Anthony Smith, Founder of Fenix 24, a company that has helped hundreds of organizations recover after data breaches. According to Smith, St. Cloud is just the latest local city to become a target. 'Counties and cities are maintaining tax records. They're maintaining property records. They're maintain portions of these records that don't get disclosed publicly. And therefore, threat actors are commonly going to target these types of files,' said Smith. According to a statement published to the city's website, 'As a precautionary measure, the City encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft by reviewing account statements, credit reports, and explanations of benefits for unusual activity and to detect errors. Any suspicious activity should be promptly reported to your credit card company, bank, or other applicable institution.' Smith suggests a few extra measures, too. 'I would suggest to citizens that they get credit monitoring, they freeze their credit reports, and lastly you should probably change how you buy things You should be using credit cards not debit cards.' Smith said credit cards offer greater protection against fraud than debit cards, which is why he recommends the switch. He said anyone who receives a letter from the city should be extra skeptical of messages or emails from unknown accounts asking for personal information. The city is now offering one year of credit monitoring to anyone impacted by the breach and has created a dedicated toll-free number where people can get their questions answered. That toll-free assistance line that has been established at 1-(800) 939-4170, available Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (excluding major U.S. holidays). You can see the city's full statement about the security breach here. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Sanford police collecting school supply donations
The Sanford Police Department is already preparing for next school year. The department is hosting its CRAM the CRUISER event on June 13. Officers will be collecting donations of school supplies at Walmart on Rinehart Road from 10a.m.-1 p.m. Officers will distribute those supplies to children in need. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Marion County 2023 murder prompts continued calls for change, Netflix documentary
A call for change continues, exactly two years after a Marion County mother was killed by her neighbor in front of her young children. It was the end of an ongoing, racially charged feud between Susan Lorincz and Ajike 'AJ' Owens. Today, Owens' mother shared with me her motivation to change a state law and what she needs from the public right now. The past two years have been the hardest, toughest journey I've ever been on. It's been filled with grief, sadness, despair," said Pamela Dias, the mother of Owens. If you look at the young children left behind, you'll understand why. Two years ago, Pamela Dias was taking care of her four young grandkids - 3, 7, 9, and 12 years old - after their mother, Ajike 'AJ' Owens, was shot and killed just outside their Ocala home. Her killer, Susan Lorincz, wasn't initially arrested because she relied on the state's Stand Your Ground Law, which lets gun owners shoot in self-defense if they believe their life is in immediate danger. Now, Dias is on a mission to overturn the state's longstanding law. This task has never succeeded before, despite the highly publicized murder of Trayvon Martin in Sanford in 2012, which triggered nationwide protests. 'Never use the word never. There's always hope. And it'll just take those who are against it, those who want to stand for the right thing, to come together and unite. And if we do that, we can make a real change.' Dias is raising revenue to fight the law through her Standing in the Gap Fund, created in response to the death of her daughter. Dias also shared that it's a financial resource for families across the country who have been affected by race-based violence. Lorincz is now serving out a 25-year sentence for manslaughter, a punishment that was never considered acceptable for the life these children lost and the ongoing trauma they manage daily. 'Four children lost their mother because someone who was a racist decided to shoot through a locked metal door. That's unacceptable. We need real changes,' said Dias. Owens' story is the subject of a Netflix documentary, set to debut in the fall. They're also hoping that global attention will aid their push to repeal the state's Stand Your Ground Law. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.