No criminality found in Epic Universe roller coaster death: Sheriff's office
Investigators have found no criminality in the death of a 32-year-old man who was found unresponsive after riding a roller coaster at Universal's Epic Universe theme park in Florida in September, authorities announced on Thursday.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died after sustaining multiple blunt impact injuries while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at the Universal Orlando Resorts park on Sept. 17.
He was pronounced dead at a hospital that night, authorities said.
Following a monthslong investigation, an Orange County Sheriff’s Office report found the "case was deemed an accidental death and was closed accordingly."
"Because it was determined that no criminal acts occurred in this case, this concludes the Orange County Sheriff's Office role in this case," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Following his death, the local medical examiner determined that Zavala died from multiple blunt impact injuries and that the manner of death was accidental.
The sheriff's office investigation's finding was based on sworn statements, video surveillance, the medical examiner's findings and the "standard operating procedures provided by Epic Universe," among other evidence, the report stated.
One person who responded to the scene said in a sworn statement that Zavala was found unresponsive with "severe facial trauma," and he was still secured in the ride via the lap bar, according to the report.
Zavala's girlfriend, who was with him on the ride, told authorities in a sworn statement at the hospital that on the first drop he "partially came up out of his seat and hit his head on the metal bar in front of them," and he "continually hit his head on the bar in front of them as the ride descended."
She said the ride operator pushed on the lap bar three times until it locked in place, and that he was in the seat correctly, "she just felt the lap bar was too low."
In the wake of his death, Zavala's family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said they are conducting an independent investigation to get to the "truth" and determine if anything could have prevented his death.
Zavala's father, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz, said in a press briefing in September that his son was born with a spinal cord atrophy. He used a wheelchair but was "not under any medical restrictions that would have prevented him" from riding the Stardust Racer, Crump said.
His mother said he "loved theme parks" and roller coasters and was excited to go to Universal's Epic Universe with his girlfriend.
An internal review found the ride systems "functioned as intended," the "equipment was intact" during the ride and park employees followed procedures, according to a memo sent in the wake of Zavala's death from Universal Orlando Resort President Karen Irwin to staff.
A Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News following the death that the department's current findings "align with those shared by Universal after monitoring the same tests and reviewing the same information."
