Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was pronounced dead shortly after riding Stardust Racers, seen here during an April preview of Universal Epic Universe. Photo / Hannah Sampson, The Washington Post
A 32-year-old man died of “multiple blunt impact injuries” this week after riding a rollercoaster at Universal Epic Universe in central Florida.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was “found unresponsive after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster” on Wednesday night (local time), the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Off-duty deputies had responded to a “man down” call at the theme park, which opened earlier this year.
An incident report by a sheriff’s deputy who responded said several fire-rescue workers and members of the park’s health services staff performed CPR on the man on a platform next to the ride tracks. He was not breathing, according to a call from an emergency responder to the sheriff’s office.
Rodriguez Zavala was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead there a short time later, the sheriff’s office said. The incident report said he was at the park with his long-time girlfriend.
Chief medical examiner Joshua Stephany said in a statement on Thursday that an autopsy that morning revealed the cause of death.
“The manner of death is accident,” he wrote.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, blunt force trauma occurs when someone sustains an injury from an impact or “forceful movements”. That could lead to injuries such as bone fractures and brain trauma as well as ruptured internal organs, spinal cord injuries or “strain” injuries such as whiplash.
In a statement released by the Orange County Fire Rescue Department, Universal said it was co-operating with the sheriff’s office following the “tragic event”. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which investigates accidents involving amusement rides, did not immediately respond to questions on Friday.
“We are devastated by this tragic event and extend our sincerest sympathies to the guest’s loved ones,” Universal said in a statement to the Washington Post on Friday. “We are fully co-operating with the ongoing investigation. The attraction remains closed.”
Stardust Racers is an intense, dual-launch rollercoaster that reaches speeds up to 99km/h and covers 1524m of track. Loose objects are not allowed and riders have to go through a metal detector to make sure they don’t have anything that could fall.
According to accessibility information available online, people who ride must be able to independently keep an upright position, support their torso, neck and head “while absorbing sudden and dramatic movements” and brace their body with at least one natural upper extremity.
Amusement park rides are designed, built and operated according to global safety standards, Jakob Wahl, president and chief executive of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, said in a statement.
“Criteria are detailed for risk assessment, hazard mitigation, rider restraint and dimensions, biomechanical considerations including acceleration limits, mechanical loads, electrical, operating conditions, fencing, handrails, gates, walkways, signage and many other areas,” the statement said. “Testing requires running the rides under normal operating conditions for a certain period of time. Testing would include loading and unloading of the rides, normal operation of the ride, and all the systems associated with the ride.”
According to a ride safety report released by the group, an estimated 503 injuries occurred on rollercoasters in 2022 out of nearly 455 million estimated rides. That amounted to an injury rate of roughly 1.12 per million rides taken.
In 2021, a woman died from internal bleeding due to a tear in an artery after she rode a rollercoaster at an Indiana theme park, according to media reports. A California family sued an amusement park in that state earlier this year, claiming their 22-year-old son died in 2022 from injuries sustained on a coaster.
Dennis Speigel, founder of the consulting firm International Theme Park Services, said in an interview that the medical examiner’s report will be key to figuring out what went wrong. He said he would not expect the ride to operate until there is more information on the circumstances of the death and a decision on whether any changes need to be made to the ride.
“What’s on the line? The credibility of Epic Universe, the investment in that ride,” he said. “They’ve got to get it right, they want to find out and they will investigate it ... until the answer is known.”
Family and friends of Rodriguez Zavala started a GoFundMe appeal to raise money for funeral and memorial expenses after what they described as “an unexpected accident”. In the online fundraiser, he is shown in a wheelchair enjoying theme park attractions. He had a pre-existing spinal injury, according to the police report.
The GoFundMe described him as “wise beyond his years”, loving and loyal.
“Despite the restrictions and obstacles he encountered throughout his life, Kevin met them all with grace, strength, and an unwavering spirit,” the fundraiser said. “He overcame so much, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.”
He was remembered as a son, brother, uncle and friend.
“His presence lit up every room, and his absence leaves a space no one can fill,” the GoFundMe page says.
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