Murder rap for architect of waterslide
THE ARCHITECT of a deadly Kansas waterslide that decapitated a little boy was arrested Monday night at a Dallas airport.
U.S. marshals took John Schooley into custody at DallasFort Worth International Airport after his flight from China touched down, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
He’s charged with murder in Kansas City for the 2016 death of Caleb Schwab.
The 10-year-old boy was killed nearly two years ago while riding on Schlitterbahn Waterpark’s “Verruckt,” a 168-foot water slide designed by Schooley.
An indictment filed last month against the 72-year-old found he “possessed no engineering credential relevant to amusement ride design or safety.”
Schooley and Jeff Henry, coowner of the park, were also found to have rushed along construction of the 17-story death trap, which has sat idle since Caleb’s death.
The boy was killed when the raft in which he was riding went flying into the air, striking an overhead loop.