Victim Still Doesn't Know How Flying Knife Entered American Dream Mall Ride: Lawyer

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — After a woman filed a lawsuit last month saying she was slashed by a flying knife while on a ride at the American Dream complex, her lawyers says that efforts to find the origin of the knife have been unsuccessful.

As reported earlier this month, a woman was visiting the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park last July with her kids when she was suddenly struck by a Swiss knife.

She was on a ride at the theme park, one of several entertainment options in the complex on Route 3.

While her face was bleeding, a worker at the theme park began laughing, she claims in the suit.

The ordeal at the park in East Rutherford resulted in a $13,000 hospital bill, with more treatments still to come, said plaintiff Xianghua Nan is the lawsuit.

The suit was filed in Bergen County Superior Court on March 24. READ MORE: Flying Knife Slashed NJ Woman In Face While At American Dream Mall: Lawsuit

Last week, Nan's lawyer, Howard Myerowitz, gave Patch a photo of the knife, taken by his client. He said that his firm is still trying to find the origin of the knife.

The knife bears the name of a Bergen County company that appears to have given it out at one time, Myerowitz noted. But he said efforts to get information from the company have failed.

"As to the source of the knife, we are conducting our own investigation," he told Patch. "At this point we do not know where the knife came from but it is possible that it came through the window. It is important to note that knives are prohibited in the mall. Nickelodeon has additional prohibitions for their park and Nickelodeon has additional prohibitions ... regarding what can and cannot be brought onto rides."

Patch called the phone number on the knife, as well as another number for the company — a tax solutions company in West Milford — and left messages, but did not get a response. The company also failed to respond to an email sent last week.

"While the ride was in operation, a Swiss knife became airborne and struck Plaintiff directly in the face," the suit says.

Myerowitz said, "The knife, which cut our client on the cheek causing severe bleeding, hit less than an inch from her left eye. If it had landed in her eye, she would have been blinded. If the knife had landed just a few inches lower, it would have cut her on the neck and could have severed the carotid artery."

Nan holds a season pass to the theme park, the lawsuit states.

Myerowitz said he'd receive more information during discovery in the suit, and is considering adding the company named on the knife as a defendant.

A spokesperson for the American Dream complex said the company does not comment on legal matters.

Read more about the lawsuit here.