Adventureland worker’s widow expresses anger over Saturday’s accident

ALTOONA, Iowa (KCCI) - Gladys Booher says she knows what the Jaramillo family is going through after Saturday’s accident on Adventureland’s Raging River ride took the life of their 11-year-old boy.

Gladys Booher’s husband Steve Booher was an employee at Adventureland when he was killed on the same ride while working in June 2016.

He was working as a loading assistant when he was knocked down on the ride conveyor belts. He then hit his head on nearby concrete.

Gladys filed a wrongful death lawsuit and eventually settled out of court.

She refused to sign a gag order to prevent her from speaking about the incident.

She says she warned the park the ride was too far away from an entrance or exit, and this prevented medical personnel from getting there quickly.

“I think the public needs to have as much information as they can possibly get, and I think it’s going to take the public’s outcry,” she said.

Adventureland’s attorney, Guy Cook, maintains the ride is safe.

He said they don’t know why the 1,500 pound raft flipped.

State records show the Raging River ride passed inspection every year.

“No ride is ever put in operation unless it’s 100 percent safe,” Cook said.

The Iowa Labor Commissioner signed a cessation order.

This bars the park from operating the ride until an investigation is complete, and all hazards are corrected.

The park voluntarily stopped the ride after the incident on Saturday.

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