ALTOONA, Iowa — An Adventureland ride passed a state safety inspection one day prior to an accident that left an 11-year-old dead.
Michael Jaramillo died after a boat he was riding on the Raging River overturned in the middle of the ride.
Michael’s brother David, who turned 16 Wednesday, was also on the ride at the time and is now in a medically-induced coma because of his injuries.
According to the state’s amusement safety inspection report, inspectors check for 19 areas.
The report completed July 2 shows the inspector deemed all aspects of the ride satisfactory.
Iowa law requires annual inspections for amusement rides.
Local 5 obtained copies of the last 11 reports.
The Raging River passed all of them.
In 2014 and 2016, the state inspector noted seat conditions were unsatisfactory, but the report says the issue was corrected on-site.
In 2012, 2013 and 2018, the ride's restraints were marked as unsatisfactory, but again, the report says the issue was corrected on-site.
The other six years – 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021 – the ride received all satisfactory marks.
The Iowa Workforce Development’s Division of Labor Services, which is the division that is responsible for amusement ride regulations in the state, said they're still investigating the incident, so they declined an interview.
They did provide Local 5 with a copy of the accident report.
The report says they don't know why the boat flipped over but says one of the eight bladders that help keep the raft afloat was deflated.
Adventureland Attorney Guy Cook told the Associated Press it's too soon to know how the bladder deflated but says it could have happened when the boat flipped.
Cook says it's the first time a boat has flipped in the ride's 38-year history.
It turns out there aren't any federal regulations requiring inspections for amusement park rides, but Iowa law requires rides to be inspected at least once a year.
Amusement ride inspection regulations in other states vary.
Some are like Iowa and require annual checks.
Others leave it up to local governments or parks to decide.
The state ordered Adventureland to shut down the Raging River ride while they investigate how the boat flipped.