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City To Probe Boy's Death In Parade

Tribune photo by KEVIN HOWE

Bouquets of flowers adorn a small memorial Saturday in Plant City for Jordan Hays, 9, of Inverness, who was killed Friday night after being run over by a float that he was walking beside during the city’s annual Christmas parade.

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By GEORGE NEWMAN And CARLOS MONCADA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2007

Updated: 12/09/2007 03:37 pm

Man Recalls Fruitless Effort To Save Boy Hit By Float

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PLANT CITY - The city manager says he will call for an investigation and changes in parade rules after a child died Friday at the Plant City Christmas Parade.

"I want to know how and why this accident happened. I want recommendations for future changes to avoid this type of tragedy," City Manager David Sollenberger said Saturday. He said he has asked the police and fire chiefs to review the accident.

Jordan Hays, 9, of Inverness, was walking beside the float of The Greater Heights Family Worship Center, handing out beads and candy, when his foot got caught under a wheel and he was dragged under.

Parade safety rules already call for children under 10 years old to ride on the float "if at all possible."

"If the rules cannot be adhered to, then the rules must be changed or strengthened so such violations cannot occur," parade organizer Fran Neilsen said Saturday. "My recommendation will be to eliminate any and all items distributed from the floats in any way."

Sollenberger said he will make his request to the city commission when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday at city hall.

"I know that nothing can be made completely safe," he said. "I don't know what the answers are. A thorough analysis of what happened and steps needed to make sure it doesn't happen again will be our goal."

The policy now is for parade rules to be "distributed and impressed upon the participants," Neilsen said.

Among the rules is a requirement to have liability insurance to protect the vehicles, the sponsor and people on and near the floats, Neilsen said.

Also required is an adult monitor to walk the length of the parade with each group. She said she would recommend that in the future only the monitors be allowed to walk with floats.

"This whole thing takes my breath away," Neilsen said. "I can't stop thinking about that little boy. I can't stop thinking about the children who were there and witnessed this horrible accident."

For several years, the Florida Strawberry Festival, also based in Plant City, has been considering barring participants in its Grand Parade from walking alongside floats, said Mike Sparkman, the event's vice president. The 2008 festival runs from Feb. 28 to March 9.

"There's been concern on the safety," he said. "It's getting more and more difficult for us to get liability insurance to cover the parade. It's something we are very concerned about, particularly after last night."

News of the tragedy upset him greatly, said Sparkman, a former Plant City mayor.

"It is just heart-wrenching," he said. "Particularly, the reason for the parade and this time of year for the family. Our hearts and prayers go out to them."

This month, a 7-year-old boy was injured in a Christmas parade in St. Augustine. He was sitting on a float with his feet dangling over the edge. They became entangled with a tire and he was dragged down.

St. Augustine parade organizers required participants to sign a liability disclaimer.

Now, as a result of the incident, parade director Linda Abbott says she plans to add a rule that says anyone riding on a float must be contained inside the float, with no feet hanging over the side. If they won't sign, she won't let them participate, she said.

She also said participants cannot throw candy from the float, although they can walk beside it and hand it out.

"The reason they cannot throw it from the float is if a piece drops by the float, these little kids will run out and get it," she said.

The parents of Hayes could not be reached Saturday.

Joe C. Kelley Jr., pastor of Greater Heights Family Worship Center, whose float ran over the boy, said he would have a statement from the family Monday. Kelley said he had canceled today's services as a result of the accident.

An autopsy was conducted Saturday. Preliminary results will be available Monday, police said.

Previous reports of the identity of the float driver were incorrect. Police Chief Bill McDaniel said Saturday the driver of the 2007 Ford pickup pulling the trailer of the church float was Rickie Tarlton, 11535 Tuton Road, Lithia.

McDaniel said the accident occurred when the boy went back to the float to retrieve more candy to hand out to the crowd. Witnesses told police Hayes got caught in the twin tires of the trailer and was pulled under the wheels. Someone called 911 to report the accident at 8:16 p.m.

McDaniel said the boy was pinned under the wheels of the trailer, which ran over his chest. The driver stopped almost immediately but the boy was apparently being crushed by the wheels.

"The driver said he heard someone order him to back up. As the trailer moved, the boy was ran over again, by at least one of the wheels," McDaniel said. "The investigation continues. But the family and many of our officers will live with this day forever."

Reporter George Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4430 or gnewman@tampatrib.com. Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.

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