Roller coaster jolt sparks suit by couple

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) -- A married couple have sued Paramount's Kings Island over a roller coaster that malfunctioned earlier this month, injuring the woman and 26 others.
Melissa and John Eberle, of Maineville, claim a combination of improper maintenance, inspection and operation caused the Son of Beast roller coaster to jolt riders July 9.
Most of the passengers injured at the park near Cincinnati were treated for bruises, but Melissa Eberle suffered a broken sternum and was hospitalized for four days. She will not be able to return to work for eight weeks, said her attorney, Alan Statman.
Her husband was not injured but has had to take off of work to care for the couple's two-year-old child, Statman said.
Paramount's Kings Island declined to comment on the suit, which was filed Friday in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
Cause undetermined
Park officials and state inspectors are still investigating what caused the ride to malfunction. An initial inspection revealed a cracked timber on the track of the looping wooden roller coaster, but no official determination has been made about what caused the cars to jolt passengers.
The Son of Beast is more than 7,000 feet long and features a 118-foot tall loop, according to the park's Web site. The ride has remained closed since the accident.
Sandusky-based Cedar Fair LP paid CBS Corp. $1.24 billion for Paramount's Kings Island and four other theme parks last month. Geauga Lake & amp; Wildwater Kingdom near Cleveland, and Cedar Point between Cleveland and Toledo, are among the seven other amusement parks and five water parks already operated by Cedar Fair.