Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, Florida wheelchair user dies from multiple ‘accidental’ blunt force injuries riding Stardust Racers roller coaster ride at Epic Universe in Orlando as investigation is launched.
A Florida man has died after incurring ‘multiple blunt impact injuries’ while visiting an Orlando area amusement park on Wednesday night.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, a wheelchair user, was visiting Epic Universe on Sept. 17 when he was later was found unresponsive on the roller coaster after riding the Stardust Racers ride. Zavala was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
What went wrong on Stardust Racers roller coaster ride?
The Orange County Medical Examiner stated that ‘multiple blunt impact injuries’ as the cause of death on Thursday. The rider’s death was ruled an ‘accident.’ The report did not disclose which part of the man’s body suffered ‘blunt force injuries.’ Nevertheless questions remained how exactly the rider came to suffer ‘accidental’ injuries.
The incident has led to an investigator from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services now launching an investigation into Kevin Zavala’s death. According to its website, FDACS inspects all amusement rides in Florida, except those at large parks that employ more than 1,000 people and have full-time inspectors on staff.
‘Universal has been extremely cooperative and has complied with all required notifications. This is an ongoing investigation, and more information will be released as it is available,’ FDACS Communications Director Aaron Keller said in a statement to USA TODAY Florida.
‘We are devastated by this event and extend our sincerest sympathies to the guest’s loved ones,’ read a statement from Universal Orlando, the site’s owners. ‘We are fully committed to cooperating with this ongoing investigation. The attraction remains closed.’
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala remembered
The Rodriguez Zavala Family set up a GoFundMe on Sept. 18 to cover the funeral and memorial expenses for Kevin Rodriguez Zavala.
‘Kevin was truly one of a kind. He had an old soul — wise beyond his years — with a heart full of compassion, love, and understanding,’ the GoFundMe description reads. ‘He was the kind of person who always made time to listen, offer thoughtful advice, and lift others up, even when he was facing challenges of his own. Despite the restrictions and obstacles he encountered throughout his life, Kevin met them all with grace, strength, and an unwavering spirit. He overcame so much, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.’
Florida’s Epic Universe is located at 1001 Epic Boulevard in Orlando. Universal Orlando’s newest theme park opened its doors earlier this year, in May, the first for Orlando in over 25 years.
