The parents of 23-year-old Ava Ahlander are taking a construction firm to court, alleging their daughter’s death during a RedWest festival evacuation could have been prevented if a nearby work site had been secured against high winds. In a wrongful-death lawsuit filed Wednesday, they claim Kier Construction Corporation failed to properly secure scaffolding materials that blew loose, struck Ahlander as she sheltered in a car, and ultimately led to her death. The family is asking a jury for economic damages and other relief.
Lawsuit filed in Utah court
The complaint, filed in Utah Third District Court by Ahlander’s parents, Richard Ahlander and Mary Harrison, accuses Kier Construction of negligence, wrongful death, and related claims, according to FOX 13 News. The suit alleges the company did not use reasonable care in operating or maintaining the work site and seeks damages to cover medical and funeral costs. The family’s attorneys are asking the court to set a jury trial to resolve the claims.
How investigators say the accident happened
Salt Lake City police say Ahlander had gone to a car parked near 1055 West North Temple to get out of the weather when a 2-by-12-foot board from nearby scaffolding was caught by high winds, fell about 30 feet, and struck both her and the vehicle, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. She was rushed to a hospital in critical condition, and family members later said doctors determined the impact had crushed her brain stem. The lawsuit identifies that construction site as the source of the debris.
Family's lawyer: Change is needed
“They've got to be properly maintained and protected,” family attorney Eric Olson told FOX 13 News, arguing that contractors have a responsibility to guard against hazards that can reach public areas. Olson said the complaint is aimed at securing accountability and policy changes that would prevent similar tragedies in dense, mixed-use neighborhoods. The family’s lawyers stressed that the suit is focused on construction-site safety, not the festival’s organizers.
Festival background
On Oct. 11, RedWest organizers paused and evacuated the Utah State Fairpark as severe winds and rain rolled in, canceling parts of the schedule and sending thousands of attendees scrambling to find shelter or head home. Hoodline previously reported on Ahlander’s death in 23-Year-Old Ava Ahlander Dies, noting that her family launched a GoFundMe that drew broad community support. The incident sparked fresh scrutiny of emergency planning for temporary outdoor events and highlighted the risks posed by nearby construction sites during fast-moving storms.
Safety standards and the core legal question
Federal rules will likely loom large in the courtroom. As outlined by OSHA, scaffold components must be secured, and sites may need falling-object protections such as toeboards, debris nets or screening when work is performed above pedestrian areas. Those standards are expected to be central to the family’s negligence claims if investigators conclude materials were left unsecured before the storm. The plaintiffs want the court to decide whether the contractor met the required standard of care, given the site’s proximity to a public lot and a large festival crowd.
What comes next
The case remains pending in Third District Court and is set to move through pleadings and discovery before any trial date is scheduled. FOX 13 News reports that Kier Construction has not immediately responded to requests for comment. In court filings and public statements, Ahlander’s family says it hopes the lawsuit will help force stronger protections wherever active construction and large public events sit side by side.
