A woman died after riding Universal Orlando’s Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster in November, according to Florida’s quarterly theme park incident report released Thursday.
The report, which accounts for the final three months of 2025, says an unidentified 70-year-old woman was unresponsive and died after riding the coaster on Nov. 25.
It says she passed away at the hospital, but includes no further details.
The report includes all medical incidents and injuries that are recorded at Universal Orlando, Disney World, Legoland, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.
It includes eight other non-fatal medical incidents at Universal and six at Disney World between October and December 2025. No other incidents were recorded on Revenge of the Mummy in the report.
The report notes it is “a compilation of data collected from the exempt facilities and reflects only the information reported at the time of the incident.”
Due to privacy concerns, the report says, “the Department does not receive updates to initial assessments of a patron’s condition.”
Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor coaster themed after The Mummy film that reaches 40 mph and includes a drop hill of 39 feet. It has appeared on past quarterly reports 21 times for nonfatal injuries and the death of a man who fell from the loading area onto the ride’s tracks in 2004 — the year it opened.
Other Universal rides that reported nonfatal incidents include Stardust Racers, Doctor Dooms Fearfall, Jurassic World: VelociCoaster, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, and Yoshi’s Adventure.
Stardust Racers appears twice in the report: once for a 78-year-old man who experienced chest pain and a 61-year-old man who experienced cardiac arrest.
The Epic Universe dual-launch coaster most notably made recent headlines over the Sept. 17 death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, a 32-year-old man found unresponsive after riding the coaster and later pronounced dead at the hospital. A final investigative report deemed the case accidental and the official cause of death as blunt impact injuries. Zavala used a wheelchair and did not have use of his legs. He also had undergone previous spine and hip surgeries.
Universal has not released a statement about the death.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was “completely slouched over with blood surrounding him,” held in his seat by just a lap bar when his girlfriend’s cries for help were finally heard.
This is the scene an off-duty doctor recalled when she went to help a man found unresponsive after riding an Epic Universe rollercoaster in September.
Dr. Anna Marshall was one of several witness accounts and new details unveiled in a final investigative report on Zavala’s death released Thursday, nearly three months after the incident. It concludes the case, deeming it accidental and the cause of death as blunt impact injuries.
The 32-year-old man was found unresponsive around 9 p.m. on Sept. 17 after riding Stardust Racers, a dual-launch coaster located in Epic Universe’s Celestial Park area. He rode the coaster with his girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, whose screams for help punctuated what is now known to have been a gruesome, ultimately fatal ride for Zavala.
According to the report, Zavala and Cruz-Robles boarded the ride with the help of park employees via a “lateral transfer,” as Zavala used a wheelchair and did not have use of his legs.
Cruz-Robles said it took a ride attendant multiple attempts to secure Zavala’s lap restraint. The lap bar at first did not meet the minimum amount of restraint required, but the attendant asked Zavala if they could push it down to secure it further.
The report states Zavala agreed and showed no signs of discomfort as the bar was secured after approximately two or three tries. A surveillance recording showed Zavala appeared “engaged and well” as the ride took off.
Cruz-Robles said her boyfriend appeared to have been secured in the seat. But as the ride began its first descent, Zavala came out of his seat and hit his head on the metal bar in front of them repeatedly as the ride continued.
She later said Zavala appeared to be seated correctly but that she felt his lap restraint was too low.
Several accounts say Zavala was found surrounded by blood and Cruz-Robles’ face was splattered with blood.
Cruz-Robles said she tried to hold her partner down but was unsuccessful. Her cries for help went unheard during the ride.
Her cries became audible at the end of the ride, and employees implemented an emergency stop.
Marshall, who was vacationing at the park, offered medical assistance to park employees, who she said “appeared to have been frozen.”
Zavala’s arm was hanging over the side of the ride, and his femur was “completely broken in half and resting on the back of the chair,” Marshall told deputies.
A paramedic said he was “stuck on the ride vehicle face down, falling out of the seat, with legs inverted,” per the report. Another paramedic said he “was bleeding from the face and his body was distorted.”
Marshall learned from Cruz-Robles at the time that Zavala had a previous spine surgery that resulted in metal rods being placed in his back. Zavala’s parents later clarified he underwent a hip dislocation which required surgery around 2010. He also had surgery to address a fractured femur around 2020.
Marshall found no pulse and believed Zavala was likely deceased.
It took park and emergency staff about 10 minutes to release the lap restraint that was holding him in place as he lay unconscious, according to the report.
The report noted “a significant amount of blood loss.” An investigator reported seeing a “significant amount of blood on the chair and the bar in front of the chair.”
She later told deputies she believed his broken femurs played a “significant role” in his being able to reach and crash into the metal bar in front of him. However, she said, she didn’t feel that his lack of the use of his legs was the sole reason the incident occurred.
Zavala was pronounced dead at Orlando Regional Medical Center at 10:05 p.m. that night.
At the hospital, Cruz-Robles told deputies she and Zavala had ridden roller coasters throughout the day, and in the past.
Zavala’s father, Carlos Rodriguez-Ortiz, told deputies days after his death that his “mother always told him not to ride the roller coasters, but he would never listen.”
As of Thursday, the case is closed.
“Because it was determined that no criminal acts occurred in this case, this concludes the Orange County Sheriff’s Office role in this case,” reads an email sent by Orange County Sheriff’s Office Thursday.
Stardust Racers, which opened to the public along with the debut of new park Epic Universe in May, is a dual-launch coaster that reaches speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet across the 5,000 total feet of track. The height requirement is 48 inches, and it was classified as a “thrill ride” at the time.
The ride closed shortly after the incident on Sept. 17. It opened again Oct. 4, the same day the park released an updated Guide for Safety and Accessibility, which states that Stardust Racers riders who use mobility devices must be able to walk independently.
Warning signs placed at the ride’s entrance and throughout the line read:
“WARNING! These high-speed roller coasters include sudden and dramatic acceleration, climbing, tilting, an inversion, and dropping.”
And:
“Persons with the following conditions should not ride: Medical Sensitivity to Strobe Effects, Medical Sensitivity to Fog Effects, Recent Surgery or Other Conditions that may be aggravated by this ride, Expected Mothers, Motion Sickness or Dizziness.”
Stardust Racers is open to guests as of Friday morning.
BREAKING NEWS JUST INTO OUR NEWSROOM. WESH TWO HAS OBTAINED A LETTER SENT TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO EMPLOYEES FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A GUEST WHO RODE THE STAR RACER’S ROLLER COASTER. NOW, THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT THE RIDE TONIGHT, WHICH REMAINS CLOSED. THE LETTER SENT TO EMPLOYEES BY THE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT, SAYS THE RIDE SYSTEMS FUNCTIONED AS INTENDED AND THE EQUIPMENT WAS INTACT AT THE RIDE’S START AND DURING THE RIDE. IT WENT ON TO SAY THAT TEAM MEMBERS FOLLOWED PROCEDURES AND THE ATTRACTION WILL REMAIN CLOSED AS THE PARK DOES A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW PROCESS. WITH THE RIDE MANUFACTURER. 32 YEAR OLD KEVIN RODRIGUEZ ZABALA WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE ON THE RIDE ON WEDNESDAY AND LATER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER CONFIRMS HIS RULED HIS DEATH RATHER AN ACCIDENT, CITING MULTIPLE BLUNT IMPACT INJURIES. WESH TWO WAS THE ONLY NEWS CREW AT THE SCENE THE NIGHT OF THE DEATH. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY AND BRING YOU THE LATEST UPDATE
Universal Orlando Resort president says Stardust Racers ride was functioning properly
WESH 2 has obtained a copy of a letter sent to Universal Orlando Team Members after the death of a guest who rode the Stardust Racers roller coaster.In the letter, President & COO of Universal Orlando Resort Karen Irwin said, “Our hearts are with our Guest’s family and loved ones, and with all of you who have been impacted by the tragic loss.” Irwin continues stating that 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. The letter tells Universal Orlando Team Members to be mindful that this is an ongoing investigation.Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive on the Stardust Racers roller coaster on Wednesday and later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Universal Orlando officials. The medical examiner confirmed that the death was accidental, citing multiple blunt impact injuries. Click here to support his family’s GoFundMe.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
WESH 2 has obtained a copy of a letter sent to Universal Orlando Team Members after the death of a guest who rode the Stardust Racers roller coaster.
In the letter, President & COO of Universal Orlando Resort Karen Irwin said, “Our hearts are with our Guest’s family and loved ones, and with all of you who have been impacted by the tragic loss.”
Irwin continues stating that 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.
The letter tells Universal Orlando Team Members to be mindful that this is an ongoing investigation.
Universal Orlando Resorts
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive on the Stardust Racers roller coaster on Wednesday and later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Universal Orlando officials.
A week after a man died at Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, new information has surfaced about what happened. Additionally, officials have identified the deceased as 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala. New details about the case include who Kevin was with when he rode the Stardust Racers roller coaster and what medical condition he had when he did.
As previously reported, emergency workers arrived at the coaster scene on Wednesday under the impression that a man had become unresponsive. They were also reportedly told he had suffered lacerations. But when the medical staff got to the ride, Kevin Rodriguez Zavala wasn’t breathing and eventually died after arriving at the hospital. The sheriff’s office confirmed these details in a report, citing radio traffic.
Zavala’s longtime girlfriend, who was with him, told deputies that he had a preexisting spinal condition — he used a wheelchair — and was taking medication, the report said. After performing an autopsy, Joshua Stephany, 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 statement from Stephany on Thursday did not mention any details about the injuries, including where on the body they were found. Zavala’s family in an online post described him Friday as “one of a kind.” Zavala lived in Kissimmee, Florida, a suburb of Orlando. “Despite the restrictions and obstacles he encountered throughout his life, Kevin met them all with grace, strength, and an unwavering spirit.,” his family said “He overcame so much, and he did so with quiet resilience and humility.”
The Stardust Racers roller coaster opened to the public in May with the debut of the Epic Universe park. The ride is described on the resort’s website as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph).” Stardust Racers was among the rides at Epic Universe which were designed to accommodate people transferring from wheelchairs to the ride vehicle, according to a Universal Orlando Resort safety guide. The guide also said that riders of Stardust Racers were required to pass through metal detectors to make sure they had no loose items in their pockets that could fly out, and that people with prosthetic limbs needed to remove them before riding. A Universal Orlando Resorts spokesperson has said the resort is cooperating with investigators at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Maria Fernandez, who said she was on the roller coaster at the same time as Zavala, told Orlando television station WKMG that he appeared to be slumped over and bleeding when the ride stopped. 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. The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, however, said Friday that it had sent an investigator to Epic Universe. “Universal has been extremely cooperative and has complied with all required notifications,” Aaron Keller, the department’s communications director, said in an email.
Associated Press writer Mike Schneider contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
A patron at one of the nation’s newest amusement parks has died after riding a roller coaster there. According to the Associated Press, Florida authorities confirmed they found a man in his 30s unresponsive after riding the coaster at Epic Universe on Wednesday, September 18.
Limited Details Released About Roller Coaster Death
In a statement to AP, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando said medics took the man to the hospital. However, he was pronounced dead there. The man’s identity is not yet public information, and it’s unclear if he was visiting the amusement park alone or with a group.
Officials from Epic Universe tell AP that the roller coaster involved is the Stardust Racers. The park’s website describes the ride as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph).”
No further details were immediately available early Thursday.
A Universal Orlando Resorts spokesperson told the AP: “The company is devastated by the incident and extends its sincerest sympathies to the guest’s loved ones. We are fully cooperating with Orange County and the ongoing investigation. The attraction remains closed.”
Universal opened the amusement 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. However, it’s worth noting that 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.
Other Incidents At The Newly Opened Amusement Park
Unlike smaller venues and fairs, Florida’s largest theme parks are exempt from state safety inspections. Instead, the largest theme parks, like Walt Disney World and Universal, conduct their own inspections and have their own protocols. However, they must report any injury or death to the state.
Since Epic Universe opened in May, there have been three reports. In May, a 63-year-old man with a preexisting condition experienced dizziness and “an altered state of consciousness.” In another instance, a 47-year-old woman with a preexisting condition had a “visual disturbance” and numbness after the ride. They both rode the Stardust Racers coaster on separate days. Additionally, a 32-year-old man reportedly experienced chest pains after going on the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders ride.
Epic isn’t the only park to be involved in incidents this year. In the second quarter, there were a dozen reports from Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld Orlando. One example was a 78-year-old woman who became unresponsive on a child-friendly carousel at SeaWorld. Meanwhile, in another incident, an 87-year-old woman with a preexisting condition lost consciousness after going on the Dinosaur ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
