Survivor of Ohio State Fair Fire Ball accident awarded $20 million in civil lawsuit

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A woman who was severely injured from a 2017 malfunction on the Ohio State Fair's Fire Ball ride has won a massive lawsuit against its manufacturer.

According to a spokesperson for the law firm Cooper Elliott, Keziah Lewis was awarded $20 million. The judge's decision in the case was read in the Somerset County Courthouse in New Jersey, where KMG, the ride’s manufacturer, is located. The lawsuit stems from an incident in which one person was killed and eight others were injured after one of the rows of seats on the ride “snapped off” while it was swinging with a full load of passengers on board.

All victims were transported to the Intensive Care Unit in three Columbus area hospitals. One of the victims was Lewis, who spent months in the hospital and underwent 12 surgeries after she was ejected from her seat before falling to the ground.

Lewis’ boyfriend, Tyler Jarrell, was pronounced dead at the fairgrounds following the incident.

Lewis was awarded $20 million, which included $10 million designated as punitive damages. The total amount awarded by the court was $78 million, which was disbursed among four injured parties, including Lewis and the estate of Jarrell.

The Cooper Elliot firm stated that “the court found KMG was aware of the defect in the ride as early as 2012 and failed to alert ride owners nationwide. This negligence, combined with the oversight by inspectors and the ride’s operators, culminated in the tragic incident.”

After Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers presented their final reports, no charges were filed after Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said there was not enough evidence to proceed with a criminal case.