Victims in last year's Ohio State Fair accident will not hold the state of Ohio financially responsible in court.
The Ohio Expositions Commission voted Thursday to approve a settlement between the Ohio State Fair accident victims and the state, with no payout involved.
According to Alicia Shoults, spokesperson for Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, the proposed settlement will release the state from responsibility. No money will change hands.
"The terms being no money coming out of the state treasury, and the plaintiffs to fully release the state of Ohio including the Ohio Expositions Commission," Shoults says. The victims will receive nothing "tangible or intangible" from the state.
Last July, the Fire Ball amusement ride came apart mid-action, killing 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell and injuring seven others.
The victims are expected to file a lawsuit against the state. Shoults says the settlement will be attached, and the Ohio Court of Claims must approve it. The timeline is unknown. This does not mean lawsuits may not be filed in the future against other private parties.
Authorities did not file criminal charges in the case. In January, the Ohio Advisory Board on Amusement Ride Safety formed a committee to talk about the inspection process and increase public confidence in amusement rides.
