Chicago-area mom sues suburban adventure park after zipline harness chokes her
CHICAGO - A Chicago-area mom says she's lucky to be alive after the harness on a zipline ride at a suburban adventure park became entangled around her neck, choking her as her family looked on helplessly.
Evelyn Rapier of Loves Park has filed a lawsuit against Urban Air Adventure and Trampoline Park, at 140 E. Lake Street in Bloomingdale, as a result of the incident that occurred last year.
The 23-year-old mother of two young children said family and friends gathered at the northwest suburban indoor amusement park on Nov. 19 to celebrate her 3-year-old son's birthday.
According to the lawsuit, as Rapier attempted to ride the Sky Rider zipline, the harness park employees used to secure her to the attraction came loose and slipped around her neck, choking her as she remained suspended in the air.
FOR MORE CONTENT, SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE
"As I swung through the air with the harness choking me, I thought I was going to die," Rapier said. "All I could think of was my family, friends and especially my young children watching this."
Cell phone video of the incident shows Rapier swinging through the air as she struggled to loosen the harness from her neck.
(Cavanagh Law Group)
"Thank God I was able to find the strength to pull the harness away from my neck and survive. But a lot of people, especially children would not have been able to do this," Rapier said.
Rapier filed a two-count lawsuit in the Circuit Court of DuPage County against Urban Air Adventure Park Bloomingdale and two of its employees who were operating the Sky Ride Zip Line.
The lawsuit alleges the park did not maintain the ride or equipment properly and the employees failed to strap Rapier in properly or check the ride out to make sure it was operating safely.
"I want to let people know this ride is dangerous and that the adventure park and its employees are careless and do not make safety a priority," Rapier said.
She suffered burn ropes to her neck, a severe headache and a sore throat, according to a medical note from Amita Health Resurrection Medical Center.
The lawsuit claims Rapier did not sign a release before riding the zip line.
"Evelyn is lucky to be alive. This could have had a much worse outcome. Evelyn, her family and friends were traumatized by this. They went to Urban Air Adventure Park Bloomingdale to celebrate her young son’s birthday and it turned into a nightmare," said Marc McCallister, an attorney with Cavanagh Law Group.
Cavanagh Law Group, who represents Rapier in the suit, said a post made on Urban Air Adventure Park Bloomingdale's Facebook page in January 2021 suggested a similar incident may have occurred with a child.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the park said all staff members were retrained after the incident "out of an abundance of caution."
"The safety and well-being of our guests and employees is Urban Air’s highest priority in everything we do." the statement said. "One injury is one too many, but what’s important to remember is ride safety is a shared partnership between the park and their guests and it’s essential they follow posted and verbal guidelines and instructions."
The suit, filed in DuPage County court, seeks unspecified damages.