Universal to reopen Stardust Racers ride two weeks after man's death

Key Points

• Universal Orlando Resort plans to reopen its Stardust Racers ride after a fatal incident, despite the family's request for a delay until investigations are complete.
• The ride's reopening follows an extensive operational review that confirmed all systems functioned properly, according to COO Karen Irwin.
• The ride's reopening will include updated warnings and eligibility requirements for guests, as it reaches speeds of up to 62 mph.
• A lawsuit has been filed by a woman alleging injury on the ride, and reports of similar incidents have emerged from other riders since its opening in May.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Universal Orlando Resort plans to reopen its Stardust Racers ride at Epic Universe more than two weeks after a 32-year-old man died of blunt force injuries after going on the high-speed roller coaster.

Signs will be updated to reinforce existing warnings and eligibility requirements to help visitors decide if they should go on the dual-launch coaster, which reaches speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph), Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer at Universal Orlando Resort, said Friday in a memo to workers. The ride will reopen on Saturday.

The family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala publicly had urged Universal not to reopen the ride until all investigations were finished and they had a better understanding of how he died. 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 full autopsy report hasn't been made public.

Zavala had a spinal disability from birth and used a wheelchair, but his family's attorneys said his disability didn’t cause his death on Sept. 17.

Irwin said the ride at Universal's newest theme park had undergone an extensive operational and technical review that confirmed the ride systems had functioned properly and Universal workers had followed proper procedures. The ride system's manufacturer and an independent roller coaster engineering expert also conducted on-site testing which supported Universal's findings, she said.

Separately, a woman sued Universal Orlando Resort last week, claiming she was injured on the ride which she claimed shook her violently and slammed her head into her seat’s headrest. The attorneys for Zavala's family said this week that others have reached out to them with similar stories about the ride which officially opened in May with the debut of the new theme park.