Father Sues NJ Golf Course Where Lightning Strike Killed Son

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — A North Jersey golf course is facing a wrongful death suit months after a man was struck by lightning and killed on the property.

Simon Mariani, 28, of Franklin Lakes, was struck by lightning on July 8 while golfing at Ballyowen Golf Course in Hamburg, Sussex County.

According to officials, Hardyston police officers responded to the golf course at around 2 p.m. after receiving a call that someone had been struck by lightning. Mariani was found lying down on the course grounds.

He was airlifted to a hospital, where he eventually died from his injuries.

Related: NJ Golfer Who Was Struck By Lightning Dies

Now, Mariani’s father, Scott, who was with his son on the golf course that day, is suing the golf course and its owners.

That day, the father and son duo were participating in an Ironman Golf Tournament at Ballyowen Golf Course, for which they paid a “significant entry fee.” The suit says that the weather consisted of “unstable atmospheric conditions.”

Mariani claims that despite knowing of the potentially hazardous conditions that day, the golf course did not provide proper warning or implement effective safety protocols that could have prevented the tragedy.

Specifically, the lawsuit says that the golf course staff “failed to properly monitor weather activity, failed to warn golfers of the imminent lightning danger, failed to suspend play, and failed to provide timely or adequate evacuation instructions.”

The suit, filed Dec. 3, adds that Scott Mariani had “a contemporaneous awareness of the gravity of his son’s injuries,” and “suffered severe and foreseeable emotional distress.”

Scott Mariani is seeking a jury trial, claiming wrongful death on the Ballyowen Golf Course, Crystal Springs Resort.

A spokesperson for Crystal Springs Resort told Patch that the storm on July 8 "developed rapidly," and that course staff sounded warning horns to clear the course, per protocol. They did not specify whether the warning horns went off before or after Simon was struck by lightning.

“Our primary concern remains with Mr. Mariani’s family,” said Michelle Abate, spokesperson for Crystal Springs Services, Inc. “The loss of a loved one is a tragic event.”

Abate said that Crystal Springs Resort would not provide further comments regarding the lawsuit.

Simon Mariani is remembered for loving the outdoors, including the beach, boating, fishing, hiking, golfing, and skiing, according to his obituary.

Editor's Note: This article was updated with comments from Crystal Springs Resort spokesperson Michelle Abate.