Theme Park Death Exposes Safety Failings at Orlando Resort
A tragic incident at Universal's newest theme park has raised serious questions about safety protocols and the protection of vulnerable visitors, following the horrific death of a 32-year-old man on a high-speed rollercoaster.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala suffered catastrophic injuries whilst riding the Stardust Racers coaster at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, which reaches speeds of up to 62 mph. The wheelchair-bound visitor was found unresponsive and slumped over in his seat when the ride concluded on September 17.
Horrific Injuries Sustained
A medical examiner's report revealed the extent of Mr Zavala's injuries: a deep gash to the left side of his forehead, a fractured bony ridge above his eye, bleeding above his skull, bruises across his abdomen and arms, and fractures to both his nose and right thigh bone.
Security footage showed Mr Zavala appeared "engaged and well" at the start of the ride, yet was completely unresponsive by its conclusion. Witnesses described seeing him bleeding from the face with his body slumped over when the coaster returned to the platform.
Dr Anna Marshall, who was queuing for the ride, provided disturbing testimony to investigators. She described seeing Mr Zavala surrounded by blood, with his arm hanging over the side of the ride and his thigh bone broken in half, resting on the back of the chair.
Safety Restraint Concerns
Troubling details have emerged about the safety restraints. Mr Zavala's girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, who was seated beside him, told investigators that ride operators had to push his lap restraint down several times before it was properly secured. She believed the restraint bar was positioned too low on their laps.
When the coaster began its first descent, Cruz-Robles said Mr Zavala "flew forward and hit his head on the restraint bar." Throughout the ride, he continued to strike his head multiple times whilst she desperately tried to hold him back.
"Javiliz was crying for help, but due to being in the middle of the ride, no one heard her screaming for help until the train cart was getting close to the station," the sheriff's report stated.
Previous Medical Conditions
Mr Zavala had metal rods in his back from previous spinal surgery and suffered from spinal cord atrophy. His family maintained that his disability was not the cause of his death. The victim had previously undergone surgery for a fractured thigh bone in 2020 and hip dislocation surgery in 2010.
Universal paramedic Sebastian Torres told investigators that Mr Zavala remained secured in his seat by the lap bar, which operators struggled to release for ten minutes after the ride stopped.
Official Response
The Orange County Sheriff's Office concluded that Universal Epic Universe workers followed procedures and were not careless or neglectful. The medical examiner ruled the death accidental, citing blunt-impact injuries as the cause.
Warning signs at the ride's entrance advised against participation for those with "back, neck or similar physical conditions" or recent surgeries that could be aggravated by the ride's sudden drops and accelerations.
This incident raises fundamental questions about whether adequate safeguards exist to protect vulnerable visitors at major theme parks, and whether current safety protocols are sufficient to prevent such tragedies.