Simon Mariani 

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A New Jersey father says his son’s death after being struck by lightning on a golf course last summer never should have happened.

The family of 28-year-old Simon Mariani, of Franklin Lakes, who was killed during a tournament at Ballyowen Golf Club in July, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Crystal Springs Resort, according to a civil complaint filed in Sussex County this week.

The strike happened on Tuesday, July 8, during the Ironman of Golf Tournament, where Simon and his father, Scott Mariani, were playing as storms moved into the area. The suit says the resort failed to monitor the weather, warn golfers, or suspend play as lightning approached. The filing says Simon was struck during the tournament and died less than one week later from his injuries. His father, who witnessed the strike, is seeking damages for emotional distress.

The lawsuit says the resort had a duty to use functional weather-monitoring and lightning-detection systems and did not provide evacuation instructions to golfers as conditions worsened. The complaint alleges Crystal Springs Resort Development LLC, Wild Turkey Golf Club, Ballyowen Golf Club, and several employees were negligent in protecting guests from dangerous weather.

A day after Scott's death, a spokesperson for Crystal Springs issued the following statement to Daily Voice: "Crystal Springs Resort confirms that a guest was injured yesterday afternoon, July 8, apparently due to a lightning strike. The guest was playing on the resort’s Ballyowen golf course."

"The golf course had been operating under normal conditions prior to the storm, which developed rapidly. Course personnel sounded warning horns to clear the course, per protocol."

The resort hadn't responded to Daily Voice's inquiry about the lawsuit as of press time.

Simon died of his injuries on Monday, July 14, according to his obituary on the Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home website. 

Simon graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in accounting and economics, later returning for a master’s degree in finance in 2024. He was working as an associate at MTS Health Partners in New York City, where he earned a reputation for his talent, dedication, and character, according to his obituary.

Simon also enjoyed a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, golf, boating, skiing, and national park travel, his obituary says. He is survived by his parents and two sisters, according to the obituary.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages.