Sacramento, California – A woman has filed a lawsuit against a nonprofit organization in Sacramento following an injury she sustained last winter at the city’s central ice rink. The incident took place at the ice-skating rink located at the intersection of 7th and K streets on January 14, as stated in the lawsuit submitted to the Sacramento Superior Court on Thursday. According to the legal claim, water had accumulated on the surface of the rink, forming hazardous “water gaps” between the ice and the railings.
Read also: Sacramento’s Community Health Fair: A beacon of support for homeless residents
The lawsuit details that Shalyn Compean was skating with her daughter when unsafe conditions caused by the melting ice near the wall forced her to skate towards the center of the rink. Away from the safety of the rink’s wall, she was hit by another skater who was using a skating aid, resulting in her falling and injuring her back.
Following the fall, rink staff responded to the incident. Compean repeatedly requested an ambulance, but instead, the staff tried to move her off the ice with available materials and forcibly removed her skate, causing severe injury to her right ankle, the lawsuit claims.
Read also: May Lee State Complex: Honoring California’s longest-serving state employee
The lawsuit accuses the rink operators, Downtown Sacramento Partnership—a Property Based Improvement District that represents local businesses—of negligence and liability. At the time of reporting, the representatives of the partnership had not commented on the lawsuit. Additionally, the partnership has announced plans to open a roller rink at the same location on June 28 and to reopen the ice rink in November for the upcoming winter season.