A tragic incident occurred at Universal’s Epic Universe when a man lost his life on the Stardust Racers roller coaster. Witnesses indicate that he experienced intense head movements, rendering him unresponsive when the ride concluded, as shared by his grieving family.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, aged 32, was reportedly “thrilled” about his day at the Florida theme park and had decided to tackle the new dueling coaster as his last ride on September 17, according to accounts from his family featured on “Good Morning America”.
His family is now seeking clarity regarding the incident, especially since Zavala—who had spinal cord atrophy and relied on a wheelchair—sustained multiple blunt-force injuries during the ride alongside his girlfriend of a decade.
“This is incredibly hard for us because I can’t comprehend what transpired. My son is gone,” expressed his father, Carlos Rodriguez Zavala, to the media.
“Others have mentioned seeing him jerk his head back and forth. My question is, what really happened there?” he added.
A medical examiner declared the cause of death as an accident last week due to blunt force trauma, yet the specific locations of the injuries on his body remain uncertain.
“It’s like being trapped in a nightmare,” his sister, Lisa Cruz Rodriguez, lamented, noting her brother had spent the entire day enjoying other rides before trying out Stardust Racers, which is designed to be wheelchair accessible.
“I’m still in disbelief, waiting for this to be just a bad dream.”
In response to their loss, Zavala’s devastated family has engaged civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is calling for the Orlando amusement park to disclose maintenance records, inspection details, ride analytics, and video footage to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.
Crump emphasized that even if the ride operated without issue, there might still be underlying safety concerns.
“We want to ensure that the ride is safer so that no one else has to endure this tragedy,” Rodriguez highlighted.
Karen Irwin, President and COO of Universal Orlando Resort, stated to employees that the ride was functioning properly, with all equipment intact, and that safety protocols were adhered to during the incident, according to an internal memo obtained by Deadline.
The exhilarating dual-launch roller coaster, which reaches speeds of 62 mph and stands 133 feet tall, will remain closed while park officials conduct a thorough review.
