Legal professional Ben Crump just lately introduced a number of victims have come ahead with alleged accidents in relation to a deadly incident on an Epic Universe curler coaster in Orlando, Florida. (WOFL)
Common Orlando Resort is making ready to reopen its Stardust Racers curler coaster on Saturday, round two weeks after a 32-year-old man died following his expertise on the trip.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala handed away at a hospital on Sept. 17 after struggling a number of blunt power accidents on the Stardust Racers dual-launch trip on the Common Epic Universe theme park, in keeping with authorities. Legal professional Ben Crump, who’s representing Zavala’s household, known as the deliberate reopening “a grave danger to public security.”
Common Orlando President Karen Irwin mentioned in a letter to Common workers on Friday that, “our complete technical and operational overview confirmed the trip programs functioned correctly all through the boarding course of, the period of the trip, and upon the trip car’s return to the station, and our Workforce Members adopted procedures all through,” in keeping with FOX 35 Orlando.
“Our intensive overview was performed working carefully with native officers, and the State of Florida noticed the testing and reviewed the outcomes. As well as, the trip system producer of file and an unbiased, third-party curler coaster engineering knowledgeable performed their very own on-site testing and validated our findings,” Irwin reportedly added within the letter, which was obtained by the station.
ATTORNEYS SAY ROLLER COASTER HAD PATTERN OF SAFETY FAILURES PRIOR TO RIDER’S DEATH: ‘NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT’
Visitors trip Stardust Racers throughout a preview day for Common Epic Universe on April 5, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune Information Service / Getty Photographs)
“Security, as at all times, is our prime precedence. To additional help visitors in figuring out whether or not they can or can’t trip an attraction, we’re updating operational procedures and attraction signage to strengthen present trip warnings and bodily eligibility necessities at Stardust Racers and different rides,” she aslo reportedly mentioned within the letter. “This implies we’re ready to reopen Stardust Racers at Common Epic Universe on Saturday afternoon, October 4.”
Crump launched a press release the identical day, declaring that, “Stardust Racers is proof in an lively dying investigation.”
“Reopening the trip earlier than our consultants can look at each element is unadulterated spoliation of proof, a grave danger to public security, and places revenue over individuals’s lives. Common reportedly instructed staff the trip functioned as meant. If that’s correct, then the design itself is lethal. We’re demanding that Common pause the reopening, protect all proof, and permit our consultants to examine it. In the event that they refuse, we’ll handle Common’s callous actions in courtroom,” Crump mentioned.
“By speeding to reopen this trip as if nothing occurred, Common is exhibiting nice disregard for Kevin’s life, our household’s ache, and the protection of each rider who steps onto that coaster. We’re horrified that Common would put the trip again into operation so rapidly,” added Zavala’s dad and mom, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz and Ana Zavala.
Throughout a information convention earlier this week, Crump mentioned Zavala’s girlfriend, who was on the trip with him and was additionally taken to the hospital, witnessed him being “thrown ahead as a result of restraint points,” including that a number of riders got here ahead with related firsthand accounts about the identical trip.
MAN WHO DIED AFTER BECOMING UNRESPONSIVE ON UNIVERSAL ROLLER COASTER SUFFERED LACERATION: FIRST RESPONDERS
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, died after turning into unresponsive on the Stardust Racers curler coaster at Common Epic Universe on Sept. 17, 2025. (GoFundMe)
Crump alleged the protection programs on the trip, which debuted Might 25, have been “insufficient” and famous the trip historical past presents an “alarming timeline.”
In a lawsuit regarding a separate April 30 incident, attorneys mentioned one other rider reported that her head shook violently and that she was slammed into the seats whereas on the curler coaster.
Stardust Racers can exceed 60 mph and climb to greater than 130 ft, in keeping with the attraction’s web site.
Legal professional Benjamin Crump shows a photograph of the Stardust Racers Epic Universe curler coaster throughout a press convention with the household of Kevin Zavala in downtown Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Trying on is Zavala’s sister Lisa Cruz (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Photographs / Getty Photographs)
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“As one Common Orlando household, we proceed to increase our deepest sympathy and condolences to Mr. Rodriguez Zavala’s household and family members for his or her loss,” Irwin additionally was quoted as saying within the letter.
FOX Enterprise’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
