ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 has obtained newly released body-camera footage showing what exactly happened after a guest was killed on Epic Universe’s Stardust Racers rollercoaster last year.
Investigative documents show that the incident happened on the night of Sept. 17, when 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive on the ride.
Zavala was pronounced dead at the hospital, but Orange County fire officials said that he hadn’t fallen from the roller coaster. Instead, the medical examiner chalked it up to “multiple blunt impact injuries.”
[VIDEO BELOW: Death report released after rider killed on Stardust Racers]
According to the report, Zavala appeared to have suffered “severe facial trauma,” with witnesses reporting a “significant amount of blood loss.”
First responders said they learned that Zavala was wheelchair-bound as a result of a preexisting spinal injury, meaning his legs didn’t work properly.
Investigators stated that Zavala’s girlfriend of 10 years, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, had also been riding on the coaster, and she told first responders what she’d seen before the ride kicked off.
Per Cruz-Robles, a Universal ride employee had pushed down on Zavala’s lap restraint several times, but after they got to the first downhill portion of the ride, he “flew forward,” hitting his head.
[BELOW: Investigators interview Cruz-Robles at Epic Universe]
“He doesn’t have any support on his neck. They pushed it down three times, maybe four,” Cruz-Robles can be heard saying in released footage.
“Who pushed it? The ride worker?” an investigator asks.
“Yeah,” she responds. “I tried — I saw him on the first drop. I saw him hit his head. I tried to hold him; I couldn’t hold him. Another one, he hit his head… He just went up and hit… It looked like (the restraint) was tight, but it wasn’t because he didn’t have support on his neck.”
[BELOW: Cause of death released after man killed on Epic Universe rollercoaster]
Cruz-Robles reported that she was crying for help, but due to being in the middle of the ride, no one heard her screaming until the train cart returned to the station.
A doctor visiting the park who was waiting to get on the ride also reported seeing the bloodied Zavala, who appeared to be “lifeless,” slouched over with his arm hanging over the side.
After jumping into action to examine Zavala’s body, the doctor described that his femur was completely broken in half and resting on the back of his seat.
[BELOW: Listen to the full interview with the Dr. Anna Marshall]
During later interviews, detectives said they learned that Zavala and his girlfriend had been riding several other attractions at the park that day, including other roller coasters.
Alongside the spinal injury, Cruz-Robles reportedly explained that Zavala had metal rods in his back due to his spine surgery, as well as a prior hip condition.
“As the interview continued, Javiliz Cruz-Robles said (she) had just learned about Kevin Rodriguez-Zavala’s previous hip injury and said she ‘guessing’ (sic) that his previous hip injury could have been the cause of him coming so far out of the seat,” detectives wrote.
[BELOW: Guest dies after riding Stardust Racers at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando]
Ultimately, investigators determined that the incident was an “accidental death” and that the case is now closed.
“Upon reviewing the documents, complied with the sworn statements and video surveillance, it appeared that all employees of Epic Universe followed their Standard Operating Procedures and did not act in a careless or neglectful manner,” investigators said.
When Stardust Racers reopened after Zavala’s death, the safety and accessibility guides for Epic Universe and its sister Central Florida theme parks were updated. Prior to the death, the Epic Universe safety guide for Stardust Racers said it was “not for guests with back, neck or similar physical conditions.” That still exists in the updated guide.
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