Tragic Roller Coaster Incident: Investigation Concludes

Sat Dec 13 2025 10:21:27 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The investigation into the accidental death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala following a roller coaster ride at a Universal Studios theme park has been officially closed, confirming the conclusion of the incident. Zavala's facial injuries were linked to the ride, but his family maintains his disability did not contribute to his death.

An investigation by the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando has confirmed that the death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who suffered fatal injuries after riding a roller coaster at Universal Studios, was accidental. Despite reports of his severe facial trauma, his family insists that his lifelong spinal disability did not play a role in the tragedy. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as blunt-impact injuries, leading to the closure of the case.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The incident involving the death of a 32-year-old man, Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, after riding a high-speed roller coaster at a Universal Studios theme park, has been officially deemed accidental by local authorities. The investigation, led by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, has been closed following the finding of severe facial trauma worsened by the ride's dynamics.

Security footage revealed that Zavala appeared engaged and well at the onset of the ride, yet was found unresponsive and slumped in his seat by the ride's conclusion. Despite being secured by a lap bar, it took Universal paramedics approximately ten minutes to release him from the ride after it halted.

Zavala's girlfriend mentioned that he used a wheelchair and had been born with a spinal disability; however, his family's attorneys emphasized that this condition was not the cause of his death on September 17. The medical examiner's report confirmed blunt-impact injuries as the cause of death, leading to the official closure of the investigation.

The roller coaster, known for reaching speeds up to 62 mph, launched with the opening of the new theme park section in May, raising concerns about safety protocols in high-speed attractions.