Man Who Died After Roller Coaster Ride: Latest Update

Key Points

• Incident: A man died after riding the Stardust Racers at Epic Universe.
• Victim: The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala.
• Condition: Zavala had a preexisting spinal condition and used a wheelchair.
• Investigation: Universal Orlando is cooperating with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in the ongoing investigation.

A week after a man died at Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, new information has surfaced about what happened. Additionally, officials have identified the deceased as 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala. New details about the case include who Kevin was with when he rode the Stardust Racers roller coaster and what medical condition he had when he did.

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What First Responders Found At Epic Universe

As previously reported, emergency workers arrived at the coaster scene on Wednesday under the impression that a man had become unresponsive. They were also reportedly told he had suffered lacerations. But when the medical staff got to the ride, Kevin Rodriguez Zavala wasn’t breathing and eventually died after arriving at the hospital. The sheriff’s office confirmed these details in a report, citing radio traffic.

Zavala’s longtime girlfriend, who was with him, told deputies that he had a preexisting spinal condition — he used a wheelchair — and was taking medication, the report said.
After performing an autopsy, Joshua Stephany, the medical examiner for the Orlando area, ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries and said the manner of death was an accident. The statement from Stephany on Thursday did not mention any details about the injuries, including where on the body they were found.
Zavala’s family in an online post described him Friday as “one of a kind.” Zavala lived in Kissimmee, Florida, a suburb of Orlando.
“Despite the restrictions and obstacles he encountered throughout his life, Kevin met them all with grace, strength, and an unwavering spirit.,” his family said “He overcame so much, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.”

The Stardust Racers roller coaster opened to the public in May with the debut of the Epic Universe park. The ride is described on the resort’s website as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph).”
Stardust Racers was among the rides at Epic Universe which were designed to accommodate people transferring from wheelchairs to the ride vehicle, according to a Universal Orlando Resort safety guide. The guide also said that riders of Stardust Racers were required to pass through metal detectors to make sure they had no loose items in their pockets that could fly out, and that people with prosthetic limbs needed to remove them before riding.
A Universal Orlando Resorts spokesperson has said the resort is cooperating with investigators at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Maria Fernandez, who said she was on the roller coaster at the same time as Zavala, told Orlando television station WKMG that he appeared to be slumped over and bleeding when the ride stopped.
Florida’s largest theme parks are exempt from state safety inspections, unlike smaller venues and fairs. Instead, the largest theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal conduct their own inspections and have their own protocols. But they must report to the state any injury or death.
The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, however, said Friday that it had sent an investigator to Epic Universe.
“Universal has been extremely cooperative and has complied with all required notifications,” Aaron Keller, the department’s communications director, said in an email.

Associated Press writer Mike Schneider contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.