Tyler Jarrell, 18, dead, 7 injured after ride malfunction at Ohio State Fair in Columbus

Witnesses said an arm of a ride appeared to fly off the Fire Ball ride, flinging at least one rider to the ground, killing one and injuring six at the Ohio State Fair tonight.

“I was in line for the ride right next to the Fire Ball ride and I heard screaming and looked to my right and saw people fly (off) the ride,” wrote a Twitter user named Angelica.

@chelseastahl pic.twitter.com/GZdEdgA8J4

— Negative Bone (@eckardbills) July 26, 2017

The Fire Ball ride that malfunctioned, killing one and injuring seven at the Ohio State Fair, was inspected about three to four times before it was given the all-clear to operate, the state’s chief ride inspector said.

Tyler Jarrell, an 18-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, was pronounced dead at the fairgrounds, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said in a statement. Seven others, ranging in age from 14 to 42 years old, were injured and transported to area hospitals.

Video captured by a bystander at the fair Wednesday evening shows the Fire Ball ride swinging back and forth like a pendulum and spinning in the air when it crashes into something and part of the ride flies off. 

The Marine Corps and school officials said Jarrell enlisted last week and was going to begin basic training next summer after his high school graduation.

The other injured riders were transported to local hospitals, including Lewis, who had just completed her sophomore year at the University of Cincinnati, where her mother said she was a creative writing and journalism major.   

Investigators for KMG, the Dutch company that manufactures the Fireball thrill ride that broke apart July 26 in Columbus, determined corrosion dangerously reduced the thickness of the ride's interior support beam.

     Franklin County prosecutor Ron O'Brien said his review of the findings led him to decide there isn't enough evidence to bring criminal charges.   

Her living room is a shrine to how highly people thought of her son. Respect earned through his involvement with the Columbus Police Explorer's program and ROTC.   

The Dayton Daily News reports that an investigative summary released Friday says the Ohio Department of Agriculture will not fine Amusements of America even though the company failed to report the accident without 24 hours as required by law.

For the first time, a former University of Cincinnati student is telling her story about what happened to her when an amusement ride at the Ohio State Fair fell apart.

The settlement, which according to court records is only partial, involves Jarrell’s family, Amusements of America, the operator of the Fire Ball, and Comspeq and Soil Consultants, two companies that inspected the ride before the July 26 crash.