Man Dies on Epic Universe Roller Coaster

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, a 32-year-old man, died after riding a high-speed roller coaster at Universal Orlando's new Universal Epic Universe theme park. The United States — Utah County, Utah investigated the incident and ruled the death accidental, closing the case. Medical reports indicate Kevin Rodriguez Zavala suffered severe blunt-impact injuries, including a deep gash and fractured bony ridge on his forehead, bleeding above his skull, bruises, and fractured nose and thigh bone. Witnesses reported Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was unresponsive and bleeding when the ride stopped, and his girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, stated he hit his head multiple times during the ride. Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who used a wheelchair and had metal rods in his back from previous spinal surgery, was secured by a lap bar that operators had difficulty releasing. His family, represented by attorney Benjamin Crump, maintains his spinal disability was not the cause of death. The park had warning signs about sudden drops and accelerations, advising against riding with certain medical conditions.