Kathrine Frich
The massive beast crashed into a crowd of 5,500 people.
Going to a live event usually means grabbing a snack and enjoying the show from a safe distance. Fans trust the barriers will hold strong. But when thousands gathered for an outdoor spectacle last summer, that vital boundary completely failed.
A shocking escape
During the Sisters Rodeo in Oregon, an angry bull named Party Bus leapt over an arena fence. The massive beast crashed into a crowd of 5,500 people.
Fans were singing along to a popular country song when chaos erupted, CBS News and the Associated Press reported.
Now, two injured women are taking legal action against the organizers. They filed separate lawsuits seeking a combined $11.5 million in damages, according to PEOPLE and local outlets KPTV and KGW.
Life-changing injuries
Allison Hickey was walking along a spectator pathway when the huge animal landed on top of her. Her injuries were devastating.
The physical therapist suffered a crushed calf and a broken shoulder that required surgery. She wants $9.2 million.
The woman says her permanent injuries ruined her career.
Kristin Wert filed a second lawsuit for roughly $2.3 million. The complaint claims the animal threw her into the air, causing severe concussion symptoms like migraines and dizziness, The Oregonian noted.
Profiting from panic
The legal filings raise serious questions about venue safety. Lawyers claim a buildup of soil made the fences dangerously low for a bull with known aggressive traits.
Hickey also accuses the organizers of cashing in on the terrifying ordeal. She claims the association quickly started selling merchandise featuring the jumping animal.
“What should have been a fun night was cut short when I was crushed by a bull,” Hickey said in a statement. “Instead of being met with compassion by The Sisters Rodeo, my trauma has been turned into profit.”
Pointing the finger
The defendants are already shifting the blame. Livestock supplier Corey & Lange Rodeo Co. argued that the rodeo association holds primary responsibility for venue safety, KGW reported.
The Sisters Rodeo Association pushed back in a statement to The Oregonian.
“Sisters Rodeo Association and its contractors, volunteers and rodeo contestants take great care in the health and well-being of all rodeo livestock and in maintaining a safe environment to conduct and enjoy our rodeo,” the group said.
Following the panic, the animal’s owner told the Associated Press that the bull will never compete again.
“He simply went and jumped out of the arena,” Mike Corey said. “It happens, and not very often, thank God.”
Sources: PEOPLE, The Oregonian, KPTV, KGW, CBS News, Associated Press
