The sad fatality of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala has been determined to be accidental. He subsequently sustained deadly head wounds after riding a high-speed loop-de-loop roller coast at one of the Universal Studios amusement parks. The incident raises alarming questions about safety measures and the treatment of riders with disabilities.
During the day of the accident, Rodriguez Zavala was visiting the park to experience the ride. Due to a spinal disability, which he required a wheelchair for and had had spinal surgery on prior, Rodriguez Zavala lost consciousness and fell over in his chair.
When the ride came to a halt, emergency responders found him still secured by a lap bar but contorted in a manner that raised immediate alarms. He had very significant facial trauma and he was bleeding out of his face. Medical staff were most struck by the fact that his body was in a state of emergency. His femur had broken into two pieces and was forcing through the back of the ride’s seat. To add insult to injury, his arm was hanging over the side of the ride.
Witnesses described the pandemonium playing out inside the ride. One eyewitness stated, “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.” This statement highlights the constant struggle that riders have to deal with when emergency situations develop on these unsafe, excitement-freak rides.
Dr. Marshall, a physician who helped conduct the examination, explained it clearly. In particular, he stated that Rodriguez Zavala’s spinal disability played no role in his death. She stressed that lack of use of his legs did not cause this tragic outcome all by itself.
As the investigation continued, it was found that Rodriguez Zavala struck his own head several times while in transit. He tumbled headlong on the first drop, suffering further blunt-impact trauma which combined with his other injuries was lethal.
The medical examiner ruled Rodriguez Zavala’s death was due to the blunt-impact injuries she suffered on that harrowing ride. The findings have raised questions about safety measures for riders with disabilities and whether additional precautions are necessary to prevent such tragedies.
“The guest was stuck on the ride vehicle face down, falling out of his seat, with legs inverted,” – Torres
