Man dies from blunt impact injuries after riding coaster at new Florida amusement park Epic Universe

Key Points

• A man in his 30s died after riding a roller coaster at the newly opened Epic Universe theme park in Florida.
• This incident marks one of three reports of health issues at Epic Universe since it opened in May, where patrons experienced various conditions following rides.
• The park is the first major traditional theme park to open in Florida since 1999, and is exempt from state safety inspections, conducting its own instead.
• Universal Orlando Resorts has now expanded its offerings to four parks, adding Epic Universe to the existing Universal Studios and others.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A man who was unresponsive after riding a roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort's newest park died from blunt impact injuries, a medical examiner said Thursday.

Joshua Stephany, the medical examiner for the Orlando area, ruled the death an accident after performing an autopsy. The statement from Stephany did not mention any details about the injuries, including where on the body they were found.

The man in his 30s was found unresponsive after riding the coaster at Epic Universe on Wednesday, the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Dennis Speigel, CEO and founder of consulting firm International Theme Park Services, called the autopsy’s conclusion “pretty shocking,” and he said it raised more questions than it answered.

“Was it the head or the chest? Was he banging around? Was he in his seat properly?” Speigel said. “Was it an accident caused by the ride or him doing something?”

The medical examiner's office didn't respond to an email seeking further details on the injuries.

The roller coaster involved was Stardust Racers, Universal officials said in a statement. It's described on the resort's website as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph).”

“We are devastated by this tragic event and extend our sincerest sympathies to the guest’s loved ones,” a Universal Orlando Resorts spokesperson said in a statement. "We are fully cooperating with Orange County and the ongoing investigation. The attraction remains closed.”

After the autopsy was released, Universal said it couldn’t comment beyond its earlier statement because of the ongoing investigation.

Universal opened the park in May. It has five themed sections and a 500-room hotel.

It’s the first major, traditional theme park to open in Florida since 1999, when Universal Islands of Adventure debuted, though Universal opened a themed Orlando water park, Volcano Bay, in 2017.

The addition of Epic Universe brought the total number of parks at the Florida resort to four, including Universal Studios.

Florida’s largest theme parks are exempt from state safety inspections, unlike smaller venues and fairs. Instead, the largest theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal conduct their own inspections and have their own protocols, but they must report to the state any injury or death.

In the second quarter of this year, there were a dozen reports from Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld Orlando. They ranged from a 78-year-old woman becoming unresponsive on a child-friendly carousel at SeaWorld to an 87-year-old woman with a preexisting condition losing consciousness after going on the Dinosaur ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Since Epic Universe opened in May, there have been three reports made. In May, a 63-year-old man with a preexisting condition experienced dizziness and “an altered state of consciousness” and a 47-year-old woman with a preexisting condition had a “visual disturbance” and numbness after going on the Stardust Racers coaster, on separate days. A 32-year-old man experienced chest pains after going on the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders ride, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

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