Saturday, September 1, 2012

Houston football fan wins Darwin Award by way of trying to slide down escalator, falling 5 stories and dying

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2196564/Reliant-Stadium-Houston-fan-fell-death-sliding-escalator-handrail-preseason-football-game.html#ixzz25F7KrVb1


Identified: Click2Houston has identified the man who fell to his death at Thursday night's preseason football game as 25-year-old Jonathan Kelly (pictured)
Identified: Click2Houston has identified the man who fell to his death at Thursday night's preseason football game as 25-year-old Jonathan Kelly (pictured)


A Houston Texans fan plummeted more than five stories to his death Thursday during a preseason football game after futilely trying to slide down an escalator at the team's stadium.

Jonathan Kelly, 25, met his tragic - and brutal - end around 8 p.m. during the contest between the Texans and Minnesota Vikings at Reliant Park.

Horrified fans reportedly watched as Kelly fell off one of the escalator's handrails and plunged some 60 feet near the stadium's Coca-Cola entrance on to the pavement below.

He was reportedly trying to get from Level 5 to Level 3 on the  northeast escalator when the accident occurred.

'We were walking into our regular gate and heard this thud,' witness Lori Freese told Click2Houston.

'I walked far enough to notice he wasn't responding and called 911, and then waited for security and police to show up. He landed on the first step or two, face-down.' A Young Life Extinguished: Kelly was a reportedly a huge Texans fan and a great guy who had a lot going for him. His mother was devastated over her son's death, a family-member said
A Young Life Extinguished: Kelly was a reportedly a huge Texans fan and a great guy who had a lot going for him. His mother was devastated over her son's death, a family-member said
Local Man: Kelly, 25, reportedly worked as a plant operator at a water and waste water facility in the Houston area
Local Man: Kelly, 25, reportedly worked as a plant operator at a water and waste water facility in the Houston area

Fateful Fall: Kelly fell about 60 feet just after 8 p.m. while trying to slide down the escalator handrail of the northeast escalator at Reliant Park
Fateful Fall: Kelly fell about 60 feet just after 8 p.m. while trying to slide down an escalator handrail at Reliant Park
Questions: Kelly was reportedly trying to get from Level 5 to Level 3 at the stadium, although it wasn't clear Friday evening if he had been horsing around prior to the fall
Questions: Kelly was reportedly trying to get from Level 5 to Level 3 at the stadium, although it wasn't clear Friday evening if he had been horsing around prior to the fall

  'We were walking into our regular gate and heard this thud. I walked far enough to notice he wasn't responding and called 911, and then waited for security and police to show up. He landed on the first step or two, face-down.'

Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon reportedly said Kelly 'was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital after we had had some fans get the attention of some Houston police officers who were nearby where the body fell.'
The Houston Medical Examiner's Office confirmed in an email Friday that it had received the body. The medical examiner's website said the man died in a Houston emergency room.

Kelly has been identified by the Houston Chronicle as a plant operator at a private water and waste-water utility company.

He reportedly attended the game with friends.  Investigators are waiting for toxicology results to determine if Kelly had any alcohol in his system.
A Loud Thud: Horrified witnesses, including Lori Freese (pictured) looked on as Kelly fell face-first on to the pavement, causing a 'loud thud' to reverberate through that area of the stadium
A Loud Thud: Horrified witnesses, including Lori Freese (pictured) looked on as Kelly fell face-first on to the pavement, causing a 'loud thud' to reverberate through that area of the stadium

Kelly's uncle told Click2Houston that his nephew was a huge Texans fan and loved the team.

The uncle, who did not want to be identified, said Kelly was a great guy who had a lot going for him. His mother was devastated over her son's death, the unidentified uncle said.
 
'We want to express our deep sadness at this tragic accident,' Jamey Rootes, the president of the Houston Texans, reportedly said.

'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this young man. Our organization has been engaged with Park staff and HPD from the beginning of this investigation. We'll continue to be actively involved.'

The bank of escalators where the accident occurred will be closed during the investigation, according to Click2Houston.

'We're going to make sure all the equipment is working,' Mark Miller, the general manager of Reliant Park, reportedly said.
Investigators are awaiting the results of a toxicology report to determine if - or how much - Kelly had drank prior to his fall
Investigators are awaiting the results of a toxicology report to determine if - or how much - Kelly had drank prior to his fall
A Mournful Procession: Fans file out of Reliant Park following Thursday night's game. It is the second fatality to occur at the stadium in less than a year's time
A Mournful Procession: Fans file out of Reliant Park following Thursday night's game. It is the second fatality to occur at a Texas stadium in less than a year's time
The bank of escalators where the accident occurred will be closed during the investigation. At least one Reliant Park staff-member is at every landing of the escalators during a game, officials said
The bank of escalators where the accident occurred will be closed during the investigation. At least one Reliant Park staff-member is at every landing of the escalators during a game, officials said
The bank of escalators where the accident occurred will be closed during the investigation. At least one Reliant Park staff-member is at every landing of the escalators during a game, officials said

'It's going to be shut down and put out of service until the technicians have gone through everything. We've got events tonight. It will be closed tonight. It should be reopen next week,' Miller said.


Miller added at least one Reliant Park staff-member is at every landing of the escalators, Click2Houston reported.
 'We're going to make sure all the equipment is working. It's going to be shut down and put out of service until the technicians have gone through everything...It should be reopen next week,'

In 2011, a firefighter attending a Texas Rangers game in Arlington died when he fell from the left field stands while reaching for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton.

Shannon Stone fell about 20 feet onto concrete when he tumbled over the left-field railing after catching the ball and falling into an area out of sight from the field as the
Rangers faced Oakland. Cooper Stone, his 9-year-old son, witnessed the fall during the second inning.

In April, a statue of Stone and his son was dedicated to Rangers fans in front of the home plate gate at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Railings also were raised throughout the ballpark before this season.
In 2011, Shanon Stone, a firefighter attending a Texas Rangers game in Arlington, died when he fell from the left field stands while reaching for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton
In 2011, Shanon Stone, a firefighter attending a Texas Rangers game in Arlington, died when he fell from the left field stands while reaching for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton

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