Seven people suffered injuries recently during a motocross event at the Summit County Fairgrounds near Akron.
Two people were reported to have serious injuries they suffered when a motorbike went airborne and wound up in the stands at the fairground, police said.
Four people were taken to area hospitals, fire department officials reported. Two remained hospitalized the following day.
Among the injured were six spectators and the bike’s operator.
Witnesses said the driver was operating the bike in an aggressive major and lost control. It crashed through a wooden wall.
“It was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever seen,” a witness told the Akron Beacon Journal. “I saw a guy take a back tire to the bottom lip. Another guy had a shard of plywood sticking out of his head,” she said, continuing to describe some of the more serious injuries.
The injuries occurred at the 25th annual event. This was the first year that a wooden barrier was added, however. Still, it was unable to contain the motorbike from crashing through the wood and hitting the spectators.
A deputy fire chief on duty at the scene confirmed several people suffered facial injuries, including a child who was treated at the scene but not taken to the hospital. Three off-duty paramedics were in the stands and helped provide medical care.
What was supposed to be a fun event took a dangerous turn. Spectators were fortunate that their injuries were not life-threatening, as there could have been a much different outcome for the victims. The injured victims will face medical bills and perhaps also a loss of income. It may be possible to seek legal justice to help compensate them for their injuries, as well as pain and suffering.