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Dodge Arena Named In Wrongful-death Lawsuit
The Dodge Arena Corporation has been named in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the wife of a worker who was killed last week while working at the arena.
Florentino 'Tino' Quintanilla, 46, of Hidalgo, was killed on Halloween night at about 8:30 p.m. He and other workers were preparing to convert the arena from the hockey arrangement to a concert setup for the Lluvia de Estrellas concert the next night.
He and other workers were working under the dasher boards when a heavy-duty glass panel that was removed from them came falling on top of him, killing him.
The Arena is accused of negligence and gross negligence in connection with Quintanilla's death. His wife filed the lawsuit in the 332nd State District Court in Hidalgo County.
According to the lawsuit, the Arena did not create a safe workplace by not requiring proper equipment or training.
The owner of the arena is Phoenix-based Global Entertainment Corp., whose subsidiary International Coliseums Company Inc. manages the arena's day-to-day operations.
When the lawsuit is handed to the company, it will fall under the workers compensation terms.
Another defendant on the lawsuit is the City of Hidalgo-Texas Municipal Facilities Corp., which is the owner of the arena for the city.
The mayor of Hidalgo, John David Franz, is the president and director of the facilities corporation. Franz stated that after the incident, he was not shocked to learn of the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by Quintanilla's wife, Maura. The death of her husband has left her as well as their seven children in a terrible position.
An autopsy report is expected to be received at the attorney's office very soon.
The accident also falls under the jurisdiction of OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration. The agency is expected to have a report regarding the incident in about three weeks time.
According to witness statements from other workers at the scene, Quintanilla's death has been labeled as an accident. They reported that the glass panels that fell, 13 in total, could have weighed up to 2,700 pounds. Quintanilla was described as covered in blood after the incident.
Quintanilla was rushed to McAllen Medical Center but doctors were not able to help him. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Dodge Arena has been open for two years now, and this is the first incident that has occurred there of this magnitude. They have not been guilty of any violations and all their inspections were well met.
A spokesman for the arena has provided a rebuttal against charges that they have been insensitive to the man's death. The company has created a trust fund that will go to help Quintanilla's family.
The lawsuit is asking for an unspecified amount in damages, including punitive damages, and is clear about wanting to undergo a jury trial.