American Legion Post 126 has responded to a girl’s allegations of sustaining injuries at an Alton haunted house.
Her father, Terry Ganz, is suing Post 126 and the City of Alton. He claims the haunted house tour included a section where patrons were directed through a walled passage leading to a ramp with an entry to the rear of a haunted bus. A strobe light was fixed to the rear of the bus, directed downward into a walled passage, which was dimly lit, according to the lawsuit.
At the bottom of the ramp, leading to the back of the haunted bus, the girl fell and struck her face violently against the ramp, the complaint states.
The alleged incident occurred on Oct. 29, 2011. The lawsuit was filed nearly a year later on Oct. 26 in Madison County Circuit Court.
American Legion claims the plaintiff is guilty of carelessly and negligently failing to keep a careful lookout; carelessly and negligently failing to observe and/or exercise caution in the presence of an open and obvious condition; and carelessly and negligently assuming the risk of a dangerous condition.
“That in the event that the plaintiff was injured, said injury was directly and proximately caused by one or more of the above mentioned careless and negligent acts and/or omissions on the part of the plaintiff,” the motion states.
Dennis Sharp and Steven Haug who organized, designed and supervised the haunted house attraction, are also named in the lawsuit.
Haug filed a motion for extension of time to respond to the lawsuit Dec. 6.
Sharp and the City also deny negligence and are seeking to dismiss the suit.
The plaintiff seeks in excess of $50,000.
J. Robert Edmonds of Alton represents the plaintiff.
James Craney of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith represents American Legion.
Russell Scott and Dayna Johnson of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale represent Haug.
Belleville attorney Charles Pierce represents the City of Alton.
The case was assigned Oct. 29 to Madison County Circuit Judge Ann Callis.
Madison County Case number 12-L-1756.
American Legion responds to haunted house lawsuit
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