Zipline employee healing after a collision in Castle Rock

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The family of a man injured in a zipline collision in Castle Rock started a GoFundMe account to help cover expenses while he is healing.

Jonathan Schiller, 21, was working at The EDGE Ziplines and Adventures on June 25 at Phillip S Miller Park when the collision occurred. According to Schiller’s GoFundMe, a child was stuck on the zipline and Schiller was in the process of responding when a second child came down the zipline. The three, including Schiller and two children, collided.

Adam White, manager for The EDGE, said a miscommunication between employees over walkietalkies led to the crash.

The Castle Rock Fire Department transported Schiller, a 10-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old boy to Sky Ridge Medical Center with blunt- force trauma injuries. Schiller’s GoFundMe says he suffered a concussion, as well as injuries to his limbs. While healing, Schiller is unable to work. Through the GoFundMe account, the community has donated more than $3,000, nearing the $5,000 goal. White said this collision was the first since The EDGE facility opened in 2015. He said they worked with the state’s Division of Oil and Public Safety, which oversees amusement parks and rides, to investigate what went wrong and how to prevent future collisions.

“There were no recommended changes besides retraining all of our guides so there’s no ambiguity about our communications system,” he said, adding the park was cleared to operate. “Hopefully, we’ll never see another (collision).”

White said the Fourth of July holiday was busy and without incident.