SACRAMENTO (CN) - The family of a man who died at an Ultimate Fighting Championship match say Kings Arco Arena is responsible, for creating an optical illusion that made a 30-foot drop appear to be only 4 or 5 feet. Eraldo Cano, 26, fell into a stairwell after he hopped over a ledge that appeared to have 4- or 5-foot drop onto grass, his widow and children claim in Superior Court.
Cano's family claims that Maloof Sports and the Arco Arena "created the optical illusion that there was grass and/or another surface approximately 4-5 feet down on the other side of a low concrete wall when in reality, and unlike any of the other areas opposite these concrete walls, there was a precipitous 30-40 foot drop into a stairwell, causing the area to be in an unsafe and dangerous condition. In addition, defendants, and each of them, failed to warn of the precipitous drop on the other side of the concrete wall and/or failed to prevent access to same, all of which caused the area to be in an unsafe and dangerous condition which caused plaintiff to traverse the wall, fall and suffer severe injuries which led to his death."
Lead attorney Michelle Jenni said the wall was one of only two with such a steep drop, and that Cano probably expected to land on the illusory grass.
"The contention is that there should have been a railing or a sign," Jenni said.
The family seeks damages for wrongful death, but is not seeking an injunction requiring Arco Arena to post warning signs.
"If they want to do that, that's on them," Jenni said.
The widow and two children are represented by Jenni, with Wilcoxen, Callahan and Montgomery.
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