ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced Monday that state investigators came to the same conclusion as Universal Orlando concerning the death of 32-year-old Kevin Zavala, who died on Sept. 17 after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Epic Universe.
In a letter obtained by Spectrum News, Universal Orlando president Karen Irwin told employees that internal findings show the roller coaster “functioned as intended” and that “equipment was intact” throughout the duration of the ride.
The FDOA, which regulates theme park rides, confirmed those findings in an announcement Monday, saying in a statement: “The department’s current findings align with those shared by Universal after monitoring the same tests and reviewing the same information.”
“The investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available,” the statement added.
What You Need To Know
- Universal Orlando president Karen Irwin addressed employees about the recent death on Stardust Racers in a letter
- Irwin states internal findings show the roller coaster “functioned as intended” and “equipment was intact”
- On Monday, the Florida Department of Agriculture issued a statement that said its findings mirrored Universal’s
- Park officials say the attraction will remain closed for the time being
In the letter to employees, Irwin said that it appears there were no problems with the ride itself, and that operators did their job ahead of Zavala’s ride.
“Our internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride’s start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station, and our Team Members followed procedures,” he wrote.
Irwin added that the attraction will remain closed as the company continues to “work through a comprehensive review process in cooperation with the ride manufacturer of record.”
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office had investigators on scene Friday amid the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Agency officials said that, “Universal has been extremely cooperative and has complied with all required notifications.”
Joshua Stephany, M.D., the chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola counties, said that an autopsy was performed on Thursday morning and Zavala’s death was caused by “multiple blunt impact injuries.”
The cause of death was determined to be an accident.
According to an Orange County Sheriff’s Office incident report, investigators were told at the scene that Zavala had a pre-existing spinal injury.
Attorney Ben Crump announced Monday in a statement that he will be representing Zavala’s family, and will be seeking additional information about the Stardust Racers roller coaster — including maintenance logs, inspection records, ride data and video footage — “to understand the circumstances surrounding Kevin’s death.”
“This tragic loss demands a thorough investigation and full transparency,” Crump said in the statement. “A man died after boarding a ride that should have been safe. We will hold all responsible parties to account and fight to ensure Kevin’s family receives the answers and justice they deserve.”
Jackie Koehler/Northwestern Stables