Leo Gillick
A rollercoaster in Epic Universal was supposed to be fun, but it ended up killing one man.
Videos by Rare
The ride in Epic Universal, known as the Stardust Racers, is a dual-track racing coaster that can reach up to 60 miles an hour. However, the thrill proved too much for one man, and it ended up shaking him to death.
Who: The man involved was 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala. He had been riding on the Universal Epic rollercoaster along with many others at the time of his death. He did not fall from the ride and arrived at the stop with everyone else.
- The autopsy performed after the incident revealed that the cause of death was multiple impact injuries. It is still unclear how this could have happened if the correct seating and safety procedures were in place. However, it was clear to other riders that the man had sustained serious injuries while riding the attraction.
There is an ongoing investigation as to how the man was shaken to death on the Universal Epic Rollercoaster. Large theme parks such as this are not subject to federal safety inspections. They are required to do their own.
- The park released a statement after the incident. “Universal is cooperating with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office following a tragic event involving a guest at Epic Universal on Wednesday night. The guest became unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers and was transported to the hospital, where the guest later died. We are devastated by this event and extend our sincerest sympathies to the guest’s loved ones. We are fully committed to cooperating with this ongoing investigation. The attraction remains closed.”
Traumatised Riders
Zavala was sitting alongside a full trolley of riders when he died on the Stardust Racers rollercoaster. It appears a young girl, sitting beside him, noticed his mangled body first. She had called out to security, screaming for help, before his body was removed.
- “When I was on the ride, the travel finishes, and one girl starts to say, ‘Help! Help! Help!” a witness explained. “…The girl was screaming, and we didn’t understand what had happened”.
The man was then removed from the Universal Epic rollercoaster and was pronounced dead not long after. Another witness noted that he was slumped and bleeding with what appeared to be a broken leg.
