A guest claims she fell from the Superman: Ultimate Flight roller coaster at Six Flags Great America and needed surgery on her right knee.
At a Glance
- Annabella Pearce says the ride failed to align with the off-loading platform on July 12, 2024
- She struck her knee, requiring surgery, therapy, and other treatments
- The suit seeks more than $50,000 plus court costs
- Why it matters: The case raises fresh safety questions about a ride linked to a 2017 fatality
Annabella Pearce visited the Gurnee, Illinois, theme park on July 12, 2024, and boarded the Superman: Ultimate Flight attraction, according to a Dec. 31 complaint obtained by News Of Losangeles and filed in Lake County Circuit Court.
Ride Details and Incident
The Bolliger & Mabillard coaster, introduced in 2003, positions riders face-down and hits 52 mph after a 115-foot climb and a 50-degree drop.
Pearce alleges the ride “failed to properly enter the off-loading platform area,” causing her to fall. The complaint does not specify how far she dropped.
During the incident she struck her right knee, later needing:
- Surgery
- Therapy
- Other treatments
Damages Claimed
The suit says Pearce suffered:
- Physical and emotional trauma
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Loss of a normal life
- Lost wages
Great America, LLC-doing business as Six Flags Great America-is named as defendant on one count of negligence and one count of Res Ipsa Loquitur, a legal inference of negligence.
Court Timeline
An initial hearing is set for March 5, court records show.
Neither Pearce’s attorneys at Trauma Lawyers in Chicago nor park representatives responded to News Of Losangeles‘s request for comment.
Previous Superman Incident
In 2017 the same attraction closed temporarily after 50-year-old Scott Barnes collapsed after exiting the ride and later died at the hospital, the Chicago Tribune reported. Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper ruled the death natural and said no autopsy was performed. The state later cleared the coaster to reopen.
Key Takeaways
- The lawsuit centers on an alleged platform misalignment that led to a guest fall
- Pearce is seeking damages exceeding $50,000
- The Superman coaster has faced scrutiny before, though the earlier death was deemed unrelated to ride mechanics
