Family of Florida man calls for safety changes after roller coaster death

ORLANDO, Fla. — The family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who died after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal’s Epic Universe, is raising concerns about the ride’s safety.

The family held a press conference on Sept. 30, where attorney Ben Crump announced that multiple complaints and injury reports have surfaced since the ride opened. Rodriguez, 32, became unresponsive after riding the coaster on Sept. 17, and authorities pronounced him dead later that night.

Crump stated that witnesses and fellow riders who have experienced injuries on the roller coaster have come forward. They believe this indicates that Rodriguez’s case was not an isolated incident. “The multiple Stardust Racers riders who have come forward lead us to believe that Kevin’s case was not isolated,” said Crump.

Rodriguez’s family feels that Universal Orlando failed to act on warning signs about the ride’s potential dangers. They claim the ride’s safety concerns were known before Rodriguez’s death. Rodriguez reportedly suffered “multiple blunt impact injuries,” as confirmed by the Orange County Medical Examiner.

Following the incident, a deputy from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a medical emergency at the park around 9:20 p.m. Emergency services conducted CPR, and Rodriguez was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center but was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m. His family claimed he had a pre-existing spinal condition, but they emphasized he was not in any medical emergency at the time of the incident.

ABC reported that Crump’s team is looking into video footage of the incident to assess safety protocols during the ride. The ride had been closed since Rodriguez’s death, and the family is calling for it to remain shut until a thorough investigation is complete.

The family’s attorney highlighted that the ride has a history of injuries. Rodriguez’s death is a matter of “great public concern,” according to Crump, and he believes that greater government oversight of amusement park safety is necessary.

Mack Rides, the company that built Stardust Racers, is also cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Earlier reports have indicated that the coasters are equipped to handle safety, yet there are pressing questions about how those measures were applied on the day of the incident.

In the press conference, Rodriguez’s father, Carlos Rodriguez, expressed their grief, saying, “You think nothing happened to them, but it happened to us.” The family seeks answers from Universal Orlando about the safety measures implemented on the roller coaster.

This tragic event comes amid a heightened push for stricter regulations on amusement rides in Florida, with recent legislation aiming to improve ride safety standards following previous incidents at other Florida theme parks.