BUTTE – A month-long investigation into a deadly carnival ride accident here in June has resulted in no criminal charges.
WATCH: No charges in deadly Butte carnival ride accident
County Attorney Matt Enrooth told MTN News that the investigation found no criminal culpability with Midway West Amusements, which held the carnival in Butte on June 7, in which a 13-year-old boy fell from one of the rides and eventually died from his injuries.
On the afternoon of the incident, Clayton Phillips was flung from his seat on the Yo-Yo ride as it was spinning at a high speed. He was taken to the Butte hospital, and then later airlifted to a hospital in Kalispell with serious injuries. The teen died on June 21st.
Enrooth told MTN News that a thorough investigation into the incident lasted about a month before it was concluded. He said investigators spoke with many witnesses, inspected the ride, took aerial photos of the scene, and viewed videos taken the day of the accident.
Though this was a tragic incident, Enrooth said they could link no crime to the accident.
Court documents filed in Butte District Court show that the attorneys for the carnival and the owner of the ride, Chance Rides, have requested criminal justice information related to the accident investigation to prepare for expected civil litigation arising from the deadly incident.
