A rural Nevada sheriff is accusing a carnival ride operator of deliberate negligence for allegedly throwing a switch on a malfunctioning ride during a passenger rescue operation.
Nye County sheriff’s Deputy David Boruchowitz said that 44-year-old Jerry Eugene Dodele was booked Saturday into the Nye County jail in Pahrump on charges including child abuse, negligence and obstructing police and fire officers.
Dodele is accused of pulling a control lever while firefighters were removing children from an "octopus" ride that had malfunctioned.
Officials say the ride dropped to a ground position. None of the eight people trapped on the ride or the firefighters working to free them were reported to have been hurt.
