Callis dismisses two defendants in lawsuit over haunted house

Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis on Jan. 18 dismissed the City of Alton and co-defendant Steven Haug from a lawsuit over a girl’s alleged injuries at an Alton haunted house.

The girl's father, Terry Ganz, claims his daughter was injured after she was chased by a worker wielding a fake chainsaw on Oct. 29, 2011.

Ganz had claimed that Haug, as an operator of the venue, had a duty to exercise reasonable care in the design, operation and supervision of the haunted house.

“Under Illinois law, Defendant Steven Haug did not owe the plaintiff a duty to protect her from the open, obvious and intentionally encountered activities of a haunted house,” Haug's motion to dismiss stated.

Haug is represented by Belleville attorney  Russell Scott.

“Here the risks of a dark, frightening premises associated with a haunted house were not only open and obvious but in fact, expressly contracted for," the motion stated. "Logic dictates that the plaintiff appreciated these risks because she affirmatively paid money to encounter them."

Ganz’s lawsuit was filed last October in Madison County. It also names American Legion Post 126 and Dennis Sharp as defendants.

Attorney Charles Pierce of Belleville represents the City of Alton.

J. Robert Edmonds of Alton represents the plaintiff.

Madison County case number 12-L-1756.