Family of Universal Guest Who Died Slams Roller Coaster's Reopening

It’s been just over two weeks since 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala visited Universal Orlando’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, and boarded Stardust Racers. The dual-launch roller coaster reaches heights of 133 feet and speeds of 62 miles per hour, with the highlight of the ride being the inverted crisscross, known as the “celestial spin.”

At some point during the ride, Mr. Zavala — who was a wheelchair user — became unconscious. When he returned to the loading station, emergency medical services were on standby. Mr. Zavala was removed from the ride vehicle, and life-saving measures immediately began. Sadly, they were not enough, and Mr. Zavala was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Related: Death at Epic Universe: Law Enforcement at Park, Witness Shares New Details

According to a report from the Medical Examiner, Mr. Zavala died from “multiple blunt impact injuries.” However, at this time, we do not know what made him lose consciousness in the first place.

In the days following Mr. Zavala’s heartbreaking passing, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched an investigation to make sure Stardust racers functioned correctly. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office launched a manslaughter investigation, which is standard protocol when anyone dies from unnatural causes.

Mr. Zavala’s family fired famous civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who demanded answers from Universal. Mr. Crump emphasized that Mr. Zavala’s preexisting spinal injury did not contribute to his death.

Related: Community Rallies After Universal Guest Passes Away, New Details Released

Stardust Racers immediately shut down after Mr. Zavala’s death on September 17. Four days later, Universal Orlando President and COO Karen Irwin sent a letter to team members, thanking them for their strength and dedication during such a tragic time. She also stated that the Stardust Racers ride system had not malfunctioned at any time, before, during, or after Mr. Zavala boarded.

Then, on October 3, Ms. Irwin announced that Stardust Racers would be reopening to guests on October 4. She said that the ride had been investigated, tested, and deemed safe to reopen.

She also said that Universal had updated its operating procedures, as well as the signage at the attraction, reinforcing “existing ride warnings and physical eligibility requirements at Stardust Racers and other rides.”

Since Mr. Zavala’s death, multiple guests have come forward, claiming they were injured while riding the roller coaster. One woman filed a lawsuit for injuries she allegedly suffered after riding back in April. Universal quickly settled the lawsuit, but the details of the settlement have not yet been made public.

According to Mr. Crump, this lawsuit, along with the other injuries, served as a clear warning that Stardust Racers was unsafe. However, he said Universal ignored those warnings.

After the ride’s reopening was announced, Mr. Crump released a statement, blasting Universal for its decision.

Stardust Racers is evidence in an active death investigation. Reopening the ride before our experts can examine every component is unadulterated spoliation of evidence, a grave risk to public safety, and puts profit over people’s lives. Universal reportedly told employees the ride functioned as intended. If that is accurate, then the design itself is deadly. We are demanding that Universal pause the reopening, preserve all evidence, and allow our experts to inspect it. If they refuse, we will address Universal’s callous actions in court. 

Mr. Zavala’s family also released a short statement, calling Universal’s decision “disrespectful.”

By rushing to reopen this ride as if nothing happened, Universal is showing great disrespect for Kevin’s life, our family’s pain, and the safety of every rider who steps onto that coaster. We are horrified that Universal would put the ride back into operation so quickly.

Mr. Crump and Mr. Zavala’s family had asked that the roller coaster remain closed until all investigations were completed.

Do you think it’s too soon for Universal to reopen Stardust Racers? Should they have waited until all investigations were complete? How do you think Universal can make rides safer for all guests in the future? Have you ridden Stardust Racers? Do you think the ride is inherently safe, or should Universal make changes to the restraint system? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.