Injured Woman Reportedly Climbed Out of Knott’s Ride

Investigators found nothing mechanically wrong Friday with a Knott’s Berry Farm ride from which a mentally disabled woman fell, and determined that she had climbed out as the high-speed ride spun, officials said.

Cheryl Vandagriff, 34, of West Covina remained in critical condition Friday at UCI Medical Center with head trauma and abdominal injuries she suffered when she fell from the Tampico Tumbler Thursday night, hospital officials said.

An investigator hired by the park said that the woman’s lap bar, which holds passengers inside their seats, was in place and that the woman, who is 5-feet-5 and only 100 pounds, climbed under or over the lap bar and fell 15 to 20 feet.

“Witnesses said the first thing they saw was the woman’s leg coming over the side, and then they saw her jump out,” said Jim Abendshien, senior vice president of the Ohio-based Coulter Consulting Group, which investigated the incident. “It’s highly unusual for that to occur.”

Abendshien said his company is researching if similar problems have occurred at any of six other U.S. theme parks where the ride is located, but preliminary research showed no similar incidents.

Park officials said the park has had no problems with the Tampico Tumbler. The ride, which was shut down immediately after the accident, reopened about 8 p.m. Thursday, said park spokesman Bob Ochsner.