Brandon wrestling star and Olympic hopeful sues Plant City, citing negligence at skateboard park

PLANT CITY — Brandon wrestling star Eric Grajales clinched an undefeated high school wrestling career this year, but the 19-year-old says he's worried about his future because of an injury he suffered at a Plant City skateboard park in 2007.

He recently filed a negligence lawsuit against the city seeking $100,000. He said he cut himself on a sharp piece of exposed metal at the city-owned Mike E. Sansone Community Park, and he thinks his torn knee ligament — which doctors reconstructed in May — is a result of the accident.

"Hopefully this doesn't jeopardize my career," Grajales said. He still hopes to wrestle in the 2012 Olympics.

Grajales usually spends his summers in national and international tournaments, but this summer he's resting, going to rehabilitation three days a week and working at his dad's auto repair shop.

"For six months, I'm not even allowed to step on the mat," he said.

Grajales, who wrestled at 135 pounds at Brandon High School, finished his high school career with four state titles and a 218-0 record. He plans to wrestle at the University of Michigan this fall on a full scholarship.

But Plant City's attorney James Yacavone said the city isn't liable for Grajales' injury because they can't find any protruding metal that matches the description Grajales gave. Yacavone said the city officials scoured the park shortly after they found out about the incident in an August 2007 letter from Grajales' attorney, William John Grant of Inverness.

"We just don't understand how he could have gotten that injury," Yacavone said. "For all we know, and I'm not suggesting this, he was climbing the fence. We just don't know."

According to signs at the park, all skaters must have a skate park identification card and a consent and liability waiver on file with the Plant City Recreation and Parks Department. Grajales didn't have either, Yacavone said.

On that afternoon in 2007, Grajales says he fell off his skateboard and cut himself on a rusty piece of protruding metal.

"It cut through my leg like butter," he said. "It cut down to the bone."

His friends looked for help but couldn't find anyone supervising the park, Grajales said. One friend stopped the bleeding, and they drove him to a clinic. Grajales said he needed 181 stitches.

In May, doctors reconstructed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in Grajales' knee. It had been bothering him since the accident, he said, and it continued to worsen. After the high school season wrapped up, he got it checked out and scheduled the surgery.

Grant said he thinks the doctor will testify that the injury precipitated the knee problems.

But Yacavone said that may be hard to prove.

"This guys wrestles," he said. "I mean, I'm instantly skeptical."

Jessica Vander Velde can be reached at jvandervelde@sptimes.com or (813) 661-2443.