Credit: LunchboxLarry, FlickrAfter a highly publicized opening in late May, the Universal Orlando Resort is facing a lengthy legal battle in the case of the guest who tragically passed away at their new Universal Epic Universe theme park.
A tragic incident at Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe has now escalated into both a state investigation and a legal battle, following the sudden death of a guest earlier this month. On September 17, 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala boarded Stardust Racers, one of the park’s headline roller coasters that features dual launches, a 133-foot peak, and top speeds over 60 miles per hour.
During the ride, Zavala lost consciousness. Emergency responders attended to him immediately when the coaster returned to the station, but he was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. According to the medical examiner, the cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries sustained after he blacked out while on the attraction.
Zavala’s girlfriend has since shared that he had a history of spinal injury and was taking medication at the time of the visit, though whether those factors contributed remains uncertain. In a message to staff, Universal Orlando President and COO Karen Irwin confirmed that Stardust Racers was operating “as intended” during the incident. The attraction, like many thrill rides, carries posted warnings advising guests with back, neck, or other medical issues not to participate.
Despite those advisories, authorities are treating the case with the utmost seriousness. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has opened a probe, while the Orange County Sheriff’s Office launched a manslaughter investigation in line with standard procedure for non-natural deaths. Detectives are working to determine whether negligence or other contributing elements may have played a role.
Meanwhile, Zavala’s family has retained prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has demanded that Universal turn over ride data, maintenance logs, inspection records, and video footage tied to the incident. “A man died after boarding a ride that should have been safe. We will hold all responsible parties to account … We will demand full transparency,” Crump said in a statement. The lawyer previously represented the family of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who died in 2022 after falling from the Orlando FreeFall tower ride.
The investigation comes after Universal settled another case with a guest who experienced injuries on Stardust Racers out of court. Now, Attorney Ben Crump has added more pressure on Universal Orlando Resort after holding a press conference on Tuesday, September 30.
“We believe that these were warning signs that there was something wrong with the design of this ride and that they tried to blame the victims,” Crump said, via Click Orlando. “They didn’t want to say, ‘Well, maybe we have to go back and critically assess this ride and the design of this ride.’”
Referencing the above settlement, Crump asked what Universal did upon hearing the claims of injuries on the ride.
“She told them that you all need to do something about this because someone is going to be seriously injured, or worse, they’re going to be killed,” the Attorney said via Click Orlando. “She gave them notice, and she believed that the employees already know that there were problems with this roller coaster. And it begs the question, what did Universal do about it?”
Universal has pledged full cooperation with investigators, but the questions surrounding health risks, attraction warnings, and operator accountability continue to grow. While a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Zavala’s loved ones in the wake of the tragedy, the wider theme park community is left awaiting answers as to whether his death was the result of personal medical circumstances, mechanical oversight, or something in between. The investigations remain ongoing.
How long do you think Stardust Racers will remain closed at Universal Epic Universe? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!