Florida Government Has “No Record” of Investigation Into Death on Epic Universe Roller Coaster

On Monday, new reporting revealed that a state ride inspector kept “no records” from their investigation following the death of a guest on Universal Epic Universe’s Stardust Racers roller coaster. 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died of “multiple blunt impact injuries” after riding the attraction on September 17. The medical examiner ruled his death an accident.

News 6 Orlando requested “documents, notes, photos, videos, and emails generated by the state ride inspectors” related to the investigation into Zavala’s death and Stardust Racers from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The department’s response was shocking: “There are no responsive records.”

Death on Stardust Racers

Zavala, who was born with spinal atrophy and used a wheelchair, died on September 17 after suffering “multiple blunt impact injuries” while riding Stardust Racers at Universal Epic Universe. According to witnesses, the man lost consciousness sometime during the roller coaster ride.

The family has retained attorney Benjamin Crump, who says Zavala’s loved ones don’t believe his disability had anything to do with his untimely death. The family called Zavala a “theme park enthusiast” who had previously ridden countless roller coasters.

Crump has called for Universal Orlando Resort to keep Stardust Racers closed and claimed that the park had failed to self-report other incidents on the Epic Universe roller coaster.

“Stardust Racers is evidence in an active death investigation,” Crump said on October 3, one day before Stardust Racers reopened.

“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.”

Investigation at Universal Epic Universe

On September 22, five days after Zavala’s death, FDACS stated that it agreed with Universal Orlando Resort’s internal investigation, which found that Stardust Racers “functioned as intended.”

“The department’s current findings align with those shared by Universal after monitoring the same tests and reviewing the same information,” said FDACS spokesperson Wilton Simpson.

FDACS did not clarify to News 6 how its team came to this conclusion without any written records, photos, or videos from their investigation into Stardust Racers. The agency is responsible for inspecting amusement park rides and conducting accident investigations at small parks and fairs.

However, large, permanent theme parks like Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Resort are exempt from FDACS oversight as long as they have over 1,000 employees and employ their own ride inspectors. They must file affidavits detailing annual ride inspections and reports on all fatalities and specific injuries.

“There Are No Responsive Records”

Universal Orlando Resort reportedly invited FDACS to inspect Stardust Racers after Zavala’s death, despite the agency’s lack of jurisdiction over Universal Epic Universe and its attractions.

Mark Gonzalez, who has spent 22 years inspecting amusement park rides and helped investigate the tragic death of teenager Tyre Sampson on the Orlando Free Fall drop tower attraction in 2022, spent four days at Epic Universe after Zavala died. Gonzalez arrived at Universal Epic Universe at around 9:45 a.m. on September 18, just one day after Zavala died.

Despite spending roughly 15 hours investigating Stardust Racers, Gonzalez allegedly generated “no reports” regarding the inspection. This is unusual for FDACS, which has generated written reports and other documents following other amusement park tragedies, including Sampson’s death on Orlando Free Fall.

Investigation Continues

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) is continuing its investigation into Zavala’s death, according to a department spokesperson. Authorities asked the medical examiner to withhold Zavala’s autopsy report from public records until the investigation is complete.

“In cases which appear at first glance to be accidental deaths – which this case does – detectives must determine whether there is any negligence, whether criminal or non-criminal,” an OCSO spokesperson told News 6 in September.

“Through their investigation, detectives attempt to figure out IF there is any culpable negligence or a crime that occurred. And to accomplish this, we must let detectives follow the evidence and conduct a full and thorough investigation.”

Policy Change at Universal Orlando Resort

Stardust Racers reopened at Universal Epic Universe on October 4, 2025. However, Universal Orlando Resort changed its policies about guests with disabilities transferring from mobility devices to many of its roller coasters.

Previously, guests with disabilities could transfer from their mobility device to the ride vehicle with assistance from a member of their party or, occasionally, a Universal Orlando Resort team member. However, Universal now requires its guests to “walk independently” the short distance from their mobility device to the ride vehicle.

Universal Orlando Resort also changed the safety warning that said guests with “back, neck or similar conditions” were “not allowed” on Stardust Racers. It now explicitly warns guests with back and neck conditions: “Do not ride.”

Do you think Stardust Racers should have reopened after the tragic death of an Epic Universe guest? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.