Cedar Rapids’ David and Sabrina Jaramillo and three of their children, David Jaramillo Jr., August Jaramillo and Nyla Pettie, have filed a lawsuit against Aventureland Park in the Altoona suburb of Des Moines. He and 11-year-old Michael Jaramillo were on a Raging River walk in the park on July 3, 2021, when the raft carrying all six family members capsized, trapping them underwater. Michael Jaramillo drowned and other family members were injured. The lawsuit alleges that Adventureland failed for years to properly maintain and repair its rides, including the Raging River. The lawsuit alleges that the park continued to operate on the day of the accident despite reports of serious problems. They are seeking unspecified monetary compensation for negligence against the park’s owner, Adventure Lands of America, former CEO Michael Krantz and three executives. Krantz is a member of the local family that has owned Adventureland since the 1970s. They sold the park and other related assets late last year to Palace Entertainment, a subsidiary of Parques Reunidos, an international amusement park company based Spain. Court documents say Adventure Land is responsible for the men’s actions. “All the actions or failures of the reported officers and executives occurred during their tenure at Adventure Land and in the context of their employment,” he said. Guy R. Cook, the attorney representing the defendants, said safety has always been a top priority for the amusement park. “Unfortunately, the tragic accident was the result of a series of extremely unusual factors that came together. “Claims will be considered specifically in future court statements,” he said.
