The family of a former Utah State University student who was killed after riding his bicycle into a tensioned slackline on campus is suing the university and several students.
Eric Anderson was a 24-year-old music student. On August 26, he was riding his bicycle down Old Main Hill when he struck the line suspended between two trees, suffering fatal trauma.
Plaintiffs Carvel and Gayle Anderson are the student's parents, and filed the wrongful death suit in 3rd District Court on Wednesday. The family's attorney declined to comment.
University spokesman Tim Vitale says the school's legal counsel is reviewing the details about the suit.
"This was an extremely tragic accident and our hearts still go out to Eric Anderson's family and friends and everyone involved in this very sad accident," he said. "At this point we haven't even been served with the lawsuit yet so we'll need to take some time to look at the details once we are officially served."
The suit lists 15 defendants including USU President Stan Albrecht and university Police Chief Steve Mecham. It's unclear whether the remaining defendants are students or university officials.
Anderson was a member of multiple musical groups in USU's Caine College of the Arts, including the school's marching band.
Slacklining is a balance exercise in which participants walk across a length of nylon webbing tensioned between two anchor points.