Horrible accident at a fair in Paris, France

At the "Foire du Throne", which is a month long fair near Paris, the largest in France, there was an accident involving a Mondial "Capriolo". A Capriolo is Mondial's version of the Skyscraper, taller and it has 8 seats on one end of the arm only.

There were teenagers who started shoving and pushing in order to get on the ride without paying. 2 cops got involved and the result was the cops ended up in the way of the arm! One was ok, while the other was hit full force and died. There's an horrible rumor going around that it would be murder, since the cops would have been pushed into the path of the arm!

I have 2 questions: Why didn't the ride operator E-stop the ride? Second... how did those kids get to the point where they were that close to the arm?

About E-Stoping, My guess is that skyscrapes cant be stopped on a dime, its a lot of centriptial force to combat, not to mention all the weight is at the furthest point.

Here you can find a ride leaflet (PDF file) from the ride manufacturer:
http://www.mondialrides.com/ie/download/Capriolo%20Leaflet%20Mondial.pdf

The case is under investigation but it seems to be an accident. Technically there's no possibility to quickly stop such ride.

(Edited to correct the URL due to a parsing bug.)
*** Edited 4/13/2007 9:24:26 PM UTC by Vallean***

Does anyone know if there was anyone riding this at the time of the accident? If so, I would have to guess some of the riders would be hurt as well. Could you imagine being on the ride and crashing into a peson? How terrible, this is a shame. The two teenagers should be punished to the fullest.

I just read... the 15 years old admitted that he pushed the cop... but he didn't want to kill him! He's facing 10 years in jail for accidental murder (or some charge like that. He's getting 10 years off for being a minor...).

It doesnt matter if he didnt want to kill him or not...the cop died. 10 years sounds about right to me.

From what I've seen and from what I've heard from a friend, the Europeans tend not to have the same kind of barriers we do at carnivals.

How bout giving him the rest of the cops natural life span? If the cop was 25 then he gets 45 years. Only fair, the oop can't live em and neither should he for his beligerent actions. Involuntary or not, Your actions have consequences and French, American or otherwise that lesson isn't being taught anymore.

Manslaughter, and fifteen year old kids make some of the most dumb mistakes at that age. Heat of the moment, look what happens.

It's not like he accidentally tripped while trying to get on the ride and accidentally pushed the cop in front of the moving arm. He was purposely trying to force his way onto the ride without paying and purposely pushed someone in front of it while it was moving.

10 years is way too little, if you ask me.

Edit because I can't spell! *** Edited 4/14/2007 3:10:23 AM UTC by marvina1216***

Talk about credit whores...

Ten years is not long enough.

How many think he'd actually live ten years in prison after killing a cop? I'd give his life expectancy about 1 yr.

The road to justice is sometimes twisted. *** Edited 4/14/2007 2:34:39 PM UTC by FLYINGSCOOTER***

Involuntary manslaughter.

A ride to kill for!

Jeez - what were they thinking.
Endanger someones life to get on a carnie ride?
How ignorant or caught up in testosterone, adrenalin or other hormones that plague you at age 15 do you have to be?

*** Edited 4/14/2007 4:29:13 PM UTC by superman***

That is pretty sad and disturbing but I am mystifyed about why they would be so close to the ride while its running.