by William Crum
Schlitterbahn Waterparks is standing behind two maintenance workers who were charged in Wyandotte County District Court with obstructing justice.
David F. Hughes and John P. Zalsman were charged with obstruction of justice and were released on a $10,000 bond. They pleaded not guilty.
“We have no reason to believe that any employee obstructed justice,” Schlitterbahn stated today in a response to the indictment. “John and Dave have decades of experience in maintenance and are respected professionals on our maintenance team. With the help of men and women like John and Dave, we run a safe operation and know that this was a tragic accident. We stand behind our staff and the safety of our park. “
The prosecution is being handled by the Kansas attorney general’s office.
The indictment stated that brake mats that were supposed to slow the Verruckt ride were missing from the ride when a 10-year-old boy lost his life.
The indictments are now online at https://www.wycocourtks.org/cases.html.
Schlitterbahn’s earlier statements from March are online at https://wyandotteonline.com/schlitterbahn-releases-statement-on-indictment-of-co-owner/.