Criminal Charges Follow North Carolina Fair Accident :: Personal Injury Attorneys and Lawyers in Charlotte, NC

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Can I wait a few months to pursue a personal injury claim?”

According to police officials in Raleigh, NC, the operator of the Vortex ride that injured five riders last week is now facing criminal charges after it was discovered that he cut crucial corners regarding the safety of the ride. Police say that Timothy Dwayne Tutterrow has been charged with assault after it was revealed that he intentionally tampered with the ride to bypass several safety features, an act that may have been directly responsible for the serious injuries suffered by the five fairgoers.

Wake County law enforcement officials say police investigators uncovered evidence that clearly showed that Tutterrow had tampered with the ride. This may have led to the accident last week at the North Carolina State Fair where five people suffered serious injuries. According to a spokesperson for the fair, the Vortex started moving last Thursday while people were exiting the ride. The riders were then dropped from heights of up to 30 feet. Three of the riders remain hospitalized recovering from serious injuries.

Investigators say that Tutterrow has a criminal history including several previous busts for cocaine possession. Beyond Tutterrow’s actions, it has also been revealed that the Vortex ride in question suffered another technical problem four days before the accident. Just before the State Fair officially opened for business a safety switch that keeps the ride from operating unless seat restraints are engaged malfunctioned. The ride was temporarily suspended while workers repaired the problem.

Amazingly, as the fair was being dismantled on Monday another version of the Vortex ride injured a 35-year-old worker who was dismantling it. His leg became trapped and he had to be taken to a local hospital for treatment according to officials with the North Carolina Agriculture Department.

Tutterrow is currently facing three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting serious injury. Each count is punishable with up to eight years in prison. Beyond his criminal woes, many expect personal injury lawsuits to be file by those who were injured in the Vortex accident at the North Carolina State Fair.

If you, or someone you know, have any questions regarding personal injury claims, please feel free to contact the experienced personal injury attorneys and lawyers in Charlotte, North Carolina at Arnold & Smith, PLLC for a free consultation. Call at 704-370-2828.

About the Author:

Matthew Arnold is a Managing Member with Arnold & Smith, PLLC where he focuses his practice on Personal Injury, Family Law and Business Litigation. Mr. Arnold began his career handling insurance defense litigation for several major insurance companies. He also went on to handle business litigation cases and high value mortgage fraud cases, primarily in Superior Court.

Mr. Arnold grew up in Charlotte, graduating from Providence Senior High School and continued his education at Belmont Abbey College on a basketball scholarship. After graduating cum laude he attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a full academic scholarship. In his spare time, Mr. Arnold enjoys golfing and spending time on the North Carolina Coast with his wife and three young children: two daughters and one son.

Source:

“Worker critically injured in accident on second Vortex ride at NC State Fair,” by Alex Johnson, published at NBCNews.com.

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