Orange County Jury Awards $310 Million In Tyre Sampson Case

An Orange County jury has ordered Funtime Handels, the manufacturer of the FreeFall drop tower ride at ICON Park, to pay $310 million in damages to the family of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson. Sampson died in March 2022 when he fell from the ride after slipping out of his harness. The ride, which dropped riders over 400 feet, was dismantled in 2023, and the incident has prompted new state safety laws.