Couple claims assaults at Akron Fright Fest

An Akron couple filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the owner and several employees of Akron Fright Fest, alleging they were assaulted in the R-rated haunted attraction in Springfield Township that closed last week.

Ryan Carr and Sarah Lelonek are listed as plaintiffs in the civil complaint filed in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

“Mr. Carr was subjected to simulated rape, and both he and Ms. Lelonek were roughly grabbed, pushed, and shoved with such force that they suffered physical injuries,” the complaint states. “They did not consent to this offensive acts.”

Melanie Lake Inc., doing business as Akron Fright Fest at Kim Tam Park, along with owner Jeremy Caudill and eight owners, employees and agents of Akron Fright Fest whose names are listed as John/Jane Does, are listed as defendants.

A spokesman for the park reached by phone Wednesday night said the park and its management had no official comment because of the death Sunday of Caudill’s wife, Melanie.

According to the complaint, Carr, 25, a student, and Lelonek, 31, a human resources specialist, decided to attend Akron Fright Fest, which includes five haunted houses at 2881 Canton Road.

They had not been to the haunted attraction before they arrived around 9:15 p.m. Oct. 13. Four of the haunted houses were operating, and they chose to pay $25 each to go through three of the houses.

According to the complaint, in the first house, the first unnamed employee told Lelonek to “get on all fours,” but she refused and tried to get around him. The complaint alleges he shoved her into a plywood wall “with enough force to cause the plywood to shake.”

The suit states he again told her to get on all fours, but she again refused, got around him and left the room. According to the complaint, the incident injured Lelonek’s shoulder.

Before entering the second haunted house, an employee reportedly told them they could be touched in the house, which the complaint states is the only time they were warned about physical contact.

In that house was a maze, where Carr got stuck at a dead end. An employee reportedly told him, “You can get through if you lick my nipples.” Carr retraced his steps and exited.

In the third haunted house, the second unnamed employee listed in the complaint allegedly grabbed Carr and Lelonek by their shoulders, shook them, screamed at them and followed them into the next room, which included a plywood bed covered by a sheet that lifted up.

Lelonek got through the room, but the third unnamed employee listed in the complaint “roughly grabbed” Carr when he tried to leave the room, pulled him to the foot of the bed and pushed him down on it.

The complaint alleges the employee said, “I’m gonna rape him,” before thrusting against Carr’s body. Carr’s shoulder was injured during the incident, the complaint says.