Thread by @AllCentralFla

🧵I am slowly going through the Deposition of Richie Armstrong of the Slingshot Group and man. Here is some things that have stood out to me:

1. Richie Armstrong did not see any training from the manual and was under the belief that Funtime was handling all of it.

He suspended two employees with full pay. One of them, George Foti was still working developing a new camera syatem for the slingshots.

Their Lawyer's investigation have found discrepancies -- including documents appearing to be done AFTER the accident.

Jimmy Johnson's "sign off date didn't reconcile with his
employment date" and it appears there was a pre-signed daily inspection form.

Richie Armstrong re-iterates that he doesn't know who was trained by who or if they were even certified by Funtime for the attraction --Also that he's not sure if there are ANY records for that training.

Note: High Rides is an entity of the slingshot group.

After the state closed the ride, they "cancelled" any employment but for those who still wanted to work, he "tried to find an entity that could give them employment."

Richie Armstrong notes that ICON Park had approached them about putting rides on the property.

Editors Note:

John Stine -- as per his Linkedin -- who became the Director of Sales & Marketing for the Slingshot Group in July of 2020, was previously the General Manager and Director of Business Development for ICON Park from Dec 2013 to Apr 2020.

In this dialogue, Richie Armstrong was under the belief that if someone had sign the daily inspection sheets that they we're trained for the attraction.

He notes further that he does not know that there are any records related to their training.

Richie Armstrong says he was told that Austin Campbell-Alexander made the alterations to the proximity sensors but didn't know why.

When asked if they would be willing to "present him
as a representative of [their] corporation" Armstrong's Lawyers objected and cited he has his own legal representation.

He states: "I'm still not exactly clear, you
know, from the wording in the operations manual if
there is a specific weight limit to the ride."

The Manual:

He states yet again that he doesn't know if there are records related to training outside of state forms that were signed by those trained by Funtime.

He goes on here to state that the employee training record for Kim Vasquez was completed on the night of the accident.

After a back and forth between FDACS and this council, he states that he is not aware of any other documentation.

Likewise on JJimmy Johnson. He also reiterates that the date on the document doesn't match "with the payroll enrollment form."

Yet again we have there that it was up to the staff that was trained by Funtime to train the staff. Also that it was up to Funtime to ensure they we're adhering to the manual.

Because Funtime did not explicitly train them on the aspect of the weight limit, all they did was to make sure if a patron met the minimum height and the contours of the seat.

There was nothing in the training procedures that were written after the accident at behest of FDACS.

Armstrong states that there isn't anything in their training procedures "to make sure the patrons fit within the contours of the seat" and reiterates that it's his 1/2

expectations that those trained for the attraction would have been trained by a certified operator... who was trained by FunTime. 2/2

Armstrong confirms that there is nothing in the general
safety procedures "far as how riders can safely fit in their seats"

I will let this line of questing speak for itself 1/2

2//2

*Genie jaw drop gif here*

Editors Note: For those of you keeping track at home,, We are on page 211/751. The Deposition started on Page 39 and ends on 310.

Q. Okay. And do you have that [Emergency Procedure and ] policy documented anywhere in writing?

A. I'm not sure if that's documented in the -- the handbook at all, but I am aware that it's -- it is definitely trained.

So... Armstrong states that he didn't know if any adjustments were made. His maintenance manager George Foti said that he knew and that "Austin Campbell-Alexander had made the adjustment." 1/2

Foti told Armstrong that "he believed Austin had had a conversation with Christoph [Wallner of the Funtime Group whom Armstrong said was is the head or lead electrician.]" Armstrong further states that he didn't ask when the alteration was made or if Funtime Authorized it.

Armstrong states that he is unaware if the change in the location of the proximity sensor was a "alteration or an adjustment." and if it "have been required to advise the State of -- of the adjustment that was made."

Editors Note: From the Manual:

From the State of Florida:

After talking about his conversation with Tracy Kircher as he is called from the UK. FDACS ask if he contacted anyone at Funtime and he said No.

He goes on to state that He got a text but didn't reply to by Hannes Lackner whom he believes reached out to him as "the general manager of FunTime."

Armstrong states that he has not talked to anyone at Funtime specifically about the accident or if he "asked anyone at FunTime if Christoph authorized moving the proximity sensor." He also notes that he has not spoken to Christoph since the accident.

Armstrong state's that he didn't as his priority was to return to Orlando and to determine what had happened there.

When asked if he is "aware of a written or recorded statement from Austin Campbell-Alexander" 1/2

2/2

In this section they talk about a undisclosed incident involving A seat and their removable fence when they were bring the cars down for the morning from an elevated height. 1/2

They then go into how they did not report the broken seat to the state nor did it show up in the daily inspection sheets with the same signature for all 24 days.

Continuation of the signatures.

Discussing a police report from 3/30/22, that "George told Ritchie that during the installation of FreeFall Austin adjusted seats one and two so that it would be -- it would accommodate larger people.

He says that it doesn't accurately reflect his understanding of the events.

Armstrong Clarifies who was the person who had tested the seat.

Armstrong states that he doesn't "know if the ride was being operated in an unsafe manner."

Interesting tidbit -- at the time of the accident, they only had 31,000 paid patrons.

So if I understand this: The company that is the de-facto owner of the attraction does not have the specifications for the proximity sensors because the attraction was serviced by the company that does their maintenance. Yet they are owned by the same parent company.

Without the specifications, Armstrong relies on the manufacturer training the "the employees on the safe operation of the ride" and thusly clarifies the "the employees on the inspections and maintenance of the ride."

In the final question, Armstrong believed that "the ride can operate safely without knowing the exact specification for that measurement."

Thank you all for slugging through the roughly 270 pages of deposition. I might do the others as freetime permits.