Disney World Brawl Leads to Three Arrested

July 27, 2022 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Violent Crimes Social Share

They say it’s the happiest place on Earth—but Disney World has recently turned into the grounds for anger and violence after a huge fight broke out last week. The cause of the altercation was a woman briefly exiting the line to grab her phone. Yet the outcome resulted in two families getting escorted out of the park, several arrests, and even one trip to the hospital.

This is only just one example of the violent outbreaks that have occurred in theme parks across the nation. We will cover details of the case, along with the other altercations that have led to arrests in U.S. theme parks.

Disney Line Causes Confrontation

On July 20^th, 2022, two separate families had a confrontation that turned into an all-out brawl, which led to several arrests and one trip to the hospital. The fight began with a woman stepping out of line for Mickey’s PhilharMagic Concert to go retrieve her cellphone.

According to Walt Disney World News Today, another family refused to let the woman back in line, and physically pushed her back. After exiting the theater, the family of the woman waited to confront the other group who had refused to let her back in line. One of the relatives supposedly said, “Listen, man, we don’t want trouble. We don’t appreciate you guys pushing my younger sister.”

This led to a screaming match between both families, and punches started to get thrown. The viral video lasts for almost two minutes, until Disney World security was finally able to break up the fight. One man had to leave in an ambulance due to lacerations on his chin, and other members from both families had multiple cuts and bruises from the fight.

A spokesperson from Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando gave the following statement: “Deputies conducted their investigation and subsequently arrested three people for misdemeanor battery. One person was taken to the hospital for a minor injury.”

Violence on the Rise at Theme Parks?

This is not the first incident of theme park guests getting violent. On July 16^th, 2022, Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California had to close the park early due to multiple fights breaking out. They have even issued a new “chaperone policy” for any visitors under the age of 17. As addressed via Instagram, the park has added a new rule to their code of conduct that says any guests 17 or under must have a chaperone of 21 or older. Anyone who fails to follow the new rules could potentially be kicked out.

Disneyland in California has also had recent violent breakouts that have led to criminal charges. Three family members—Avery Robinson, 35, Andrea Robinson, 40, and Daman Petrie, 44, had a physical altercation that went viral on YouTube. The video shows a man spitting in a woman’s face, then pulling her hair. Then more people got involved and several punches were thrown. Disneyland staff were finally able to intervene after several minutes, and the police escorted the family from the park.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Avery Robinson is accused of not only attacking his sister, brother-in-law, and girlfriend during the brawl—but he was also accused of threatening to kill the couple after making a gun sign with his hand and pointing it at them. Robinson also allegedly attempted to hit a Disneyland employee with his vehicle as he was leaving the park. Avery Robinson was arrested and charged with five felony counts and nine misdemeanors. His sister Andrea was charged with four misdemeanors of battery, and one misdemeanor assault. Daman Petrie was charged with one misdemeanor count of battery after punching Avery Robinson’s girlfriend in the face.

In 2019, the Missouri theme park Worlds of Fun had a massive fight break out that involved about 300 teenagers. According to local resident and witness Madi-Lynn McDaniel, there were at least 10-15 fights that broke out just about a half-hour before the park was set to close. McDaniel claimed there were “hundreds of kids streaming toward us…thought even we were going to get pepper sprayed. No one could leave because of how big it was.”

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office posted a tweet in regards to the large fight that broke out: “The group of bad actors at WOF only represent a fraction of guests that were there to enjoy the attractions. It’s unfortunate that families and children had their evenings disrupted by these events. We will continue to work with WOF to ensure the safety of their guests and staff.”

To find out more about the common arrests that happen at Florida theme parks, read our blog post here.

Finding a Defense Attorney in Tallahassee, Florida 

Aside from getting kicked out of a theme park, being involved in a physical altercation can lead to serious consequences. Disney World does not take violations of the law lightly, and will absolutely involve the police if there has been a fight on park grounds. A criminal conviction for battery or assault can result in a potential ban from the park, expensive fines, and even jail time. If you or someone you love has been arrested at a Florida theme park, make sure you prioritize reaching out to a Florida criminal defense attorney. Don Pumphrey and his team at Pumphrey Law Firm have represented clients all across the state of Florida for various charges, and will work tirelessly to ensure your freedom. For a free consultation call (850) 681-7777 or leave an online message today.

Written by Karissa Key

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