Teh One Who Knocks
11-12-2012, 12:19 PM
By SANFORD J. SCHMIDT The Telegraph
EDWARDSVILLE - A father is suing the Alton American Legion, claiming his daughter fell and hurt herself as she was being chased by someone operating a loud chainsaw through a Halloween haunted house tour.
Terry Gansz filed the lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court on behalf of his minor daughter, Alexis Brooke Gansz, who visited an American Legion haunted house at 1211 Henry St. on Oct. 29, 2011.
The Legion opened the house to the public and charged an entrance fee, the suit claims. The suit also is asking for damages for medical expenses. The city of Alton also was named as a defendant because the proceeds of the haunted house were to benefit the Alton Park and Recreation Department.
"The part of the designated haunted house attraction tour included a section on the exterior grounds wherein patrons were directed through a walled passage leading to a ramp, which provided entry to a haunted bus feature," the suit claims.
"An operating strobe light was affixed to the rear of the haunted bus feature, which strobe light was directed downward into the walled passage, which was otherwise dimly lit," the complaint alleges.
As one of the people involved operated the chainsaw, the minor girl tripped at the bottom of the ramp. She fell and hit her face.
The suit claims the Legion failed to exercise proper care for the safety of others.
The suit claims she suffered "pain of body and mind" in the past and future. The suit also is claiming damages for loss of money she otherwise should be able to earn if she were "an able-bodied person."
The suit asks for at least $50,000.
Gansz is represented by attorney Robert Edmonds of Alton. None of the defendants could be reached for comment.
EDWARDSVILLE - A father is suing the Alton American Legion, claiming his daughter fell and hurt herself as she was being chased by someone operating a loud chainsaw through a Halloween haunted house tour.
Terry Gansz filed the lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court on behalf of his minor daughter, Alexis Brooke Gansz, who visited an American Legion haunted house at 1211 Henry St. on Oct. 29, 2011.
The Legion opened the house to the public and charged an entrance fee, the suit claims. The suit also is asking for damages for medical expenses. The city of Alton also was named as a defendant because the proceeds of the haunted house were to benefit the Alton Park and Recreation Department.
"The part of the designated haunted house attraction tour included a section on the exterior grounds wherein patrons were directed through a walled passage leading to a ramp, which provided entry to a haunted bus feature," the suit claims.
"An operating strobe light was affixed to the rear of the haunted bus feature, which strobe light was directed downward into the walled passage, which was otherwise dimly lit," the complaint alleges.
As one of the people involved operated the chainsaw, the minor girl tripped at the bottom of the ramp. She fell and hit her face.
The suit claims the Legion failed to exercise proper care for the safety of others.
The suit claims she suffered "pain of body and mind" in the past and future. The suit also is claiming damages for loss of money she otherwise should be able to earn if she were "an able-bodied person."
The suit asks for at least $50,000.
Gansz is represented by attorney Robert Edmonds of Alton. None of the defendants could be reached for comment.