ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) \u2014 Emergency workers who responded to Universal Orlando Resort\u2019s newest park for a man who had become unresponsive on a roller coaster originally were told he had lacerations. But when they got to the ride, he wasn\u2019t breathing and eventually died, according to radio traffic and a report released Friday by the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
Orange County, Florida, firefighters and Universal emergency workers tried to revive Kevin Rodriguez Zavala on a platform next to the Stardust Racers roller coaster Wednesday, but the 32-year-old man was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, according to an incident report from the Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
Zavala\u2019s longtime girlfriend, who was with him, told deputies that he had a preexisting spinal condition \u2014 he used a wheelchair \u2014 and was taking medication, the report said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Zavala\u2019s family in an online post described him Friday as \u201cone of a kind.\u201d Zavala lived in Kissimmee, Florida, a suburb of Orlando.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the restrictions and obstacles he encountered throughout his life, Kevin met them all with grace, strength, and an unwavering spirit.,\u201d his family said \u201cHe overcame so much, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s website as \u201ca breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph).\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
A Universal Orlando Resorts spokesperson has said the resort is cooperating with investigators at the Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n