A tragic boating accident has led to a significant legal battle involving allegations of product liability and negligence. The case, filed by David Sidloski on behalf of his deceased daughter Allyson Marie Sidloski’s estate, was brought before the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas against John Wyatt Fischer and Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A., among others, on November 7, 2025. The court has reversed an earlier summary judgment in favor of Yamaha, highlighting unresolved issues that warrant further examination.
The incident in question occurred on May 22, 2021, when Allyson Sidloski, a promising student-athlete at the University of Cincinnati, drowned during a boating trip with friends on Harsha Lake in Bethel, Ohio. The boat involved was a 2018 Yamaha jet boat. Witnesses testified that Allyson spent time sitting near the stern of the boat and had complained about exhaust fumes. Tragically, after entering the water without a life jacket, she disappeared and was later found dead. The medical examiner cited drowning with carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication as contributing factors to her death.
The lawsuit initially targeted Fischer but expanded to include Yamaha with claims centered around product liability. Allegations against Yamaha included defective design and failure to adequately warn passengers about CO poisoning risks associated with seating arrangements on the boat. Despite these claims being dismissed by a trial court through summary judgment in favor of Yamaha, the appellate court found genuine issues of material fact regarding proximate cause and potential design defects that warranted further judicial review.
Sidloski’s legal team argues that Yamaha failed to provide adequate warnings about CO exposure risks for passengers seated on certain parts of the boat while its engine was running. They also claim that the boat’s design encouraged such risky behavior without sufficient safety measures or warnings. Expert testimony suggested high levels of CO could accumulate near where Allyson sat, potentially leading to her incapacitation upon entering the water.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages under Ohio’s product liability laws, arguing that Yamaha’s negligence contributed significantly to Allyson’s untimely death. They assert that alternative designs or better warnings could have prevented this tragedy.
Representing Sidloski are attorneys from Rittgers & Rittgers & Nakajima and other law firms including The Linton Law Firm Co., L.P.A., Durst Kerridge LLC, and Kelley Uustal PLC. On behalf of Yamaha are lawyers from Montgomery Johnson LLP and Bowman and Brooke LLP. The case is presided over by Judge Nestor under Case ID C-240570.
Source: C240570_Sidloski_v_Yamaha_Motor_Corporation_Opinion_Ohio_Court_of_Appeals.pdf