Country duo Sugarland has denied negligence claims against it, responding to a lawsuit by saying that a fatal
stage collapse last year at an Indiana State Fair was "a true accident, or act of God."
In an affidavit from a lawsuit against one company, the fair's executive director says she twice sent the show's promoter to talk to Sugarland in an effort to delay the show.
Twice the answer came back -- we want to go on, according to the deposition by Cynthia Hoye, the executive director of the state fair, according to the court filing.
But in a separate document contained in a state report on the incident, Sugarland tour manager Helen Rollins said no one asked the band to delay its set.
The band also said "they had nothing to do with the construction of the
venue" and did not have the final say if the show should happen or not.
Court and state documents
reveal differing accounts of what happened.
Several families of victims from the August incident have filed a lawsuit against Sugarland, contending it was negligent in the
stage collapse that left seven people dead and more than 40 injured.
The incident occurred after a storm toppled scaffolding just as the country band was about to take the
stage.
