Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
12h ago

Colorado Jury Finds Glenwood Caverns Negligent, Awards $205 Million in 6-Year-Old’s Ride Death

Evidence of a bypassed safety alarm with inadequate training drove the jury’s decision.

Image
From left, Rahel Estifanos, Yosef Estifanos, 2, Wongel Estifanos, 6 and Estifanos Dagne in 2020 family Christmas photo. Wongel was 5 years old at the time and Yosef was 1 year old.

Overview

  • Jurors in Garfield County District Court returned the verdict after a month-long civil trial over the 2021 Haunted Mine Drop fatality in Glenwood Springs.
  • The award totals $205 million, with $82 million in non-economic damages and $123 million in punitive damages.
  • The lawsuit named Glenwood Caverns Holdings, ride designer Soaring Eagle, and two ride operators, and the family’s attorney said the park and designer are responsible for roughly 98% of the damages.
  • State investigators concluded Wongel Estifanos was not properly restrained after the ride system was reset to bypass an alarm, and cited multiple operator errors and inadequate training of staff hired weeks earlier.
  • Glenwood Caverns said the verdict threatens the park’s existence, claimed it had offered all available insurance before trial, and noted it worked with independent engineers to redesign the ride; the state previously fined the park $68,000 and did not bring criminal charges.