A Sanford woman has reached a settlement agreement with theme park giant Universal Orlando just two days after filing a lawsuit that claimed she suffered bad whiplash, severe headaches and permanent injuries months after riding the Stardust Racers ride at Epic Universe.
The rollercoaster is the same ride that Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, rode moments before he died on Sept. 17.
Details of the private settlement were not revealed in court documents filed late Friday.
A Universal spokeswoman said in an email to the Orlando Sentinel on Monday that the theme park does not “comment on pending claims.”
In her lawsuit filed in Orange County on Sept. 24, Sandi Streets, 49, said her head “shook violently and slammed into her seat’s headrest” for the duration of the two-minute ride.
She rode the roller coaster on April 30. As an annual passholder, Streets had the opportunity to visit the new Epic Universe park before it opened to the public on May 22.
Streets’ attorney, Nicholas Spetsas of Orlando, said last Thursday that Streets began suffering severe headaches and a sore neck after the ride and the pain continued months afterward. Streets initially figured it was dehydration and exhaustion after spending the day at the theme park.
Streets decided to file a lawsuit against Universal City Development Partners, one of the local owners of Universal Orlando, after the chronic pain would not subside and she sought medical treatment, including hospitalization.
Streets sought monetary damages between $50,000 and $75,000, according to court documents. Spetsas on Monday did not return requests in time for comment on the settlement.
Spetsas had said riders on Stardust Racers are only restrained on their lap and nothing else. A rider’s head, neck and torso are not restrained, he said, calling it “extremely dangerous.”
Stardust Racer cars zip along at 62 mph for nearly a mile and reach heights of 133 feet while twisting, turning and descending at steep angles.
Zavala, who used a wheelchair because of a lifelong spinal cord atrophy, had gone to Epic Universe with his girlfriend this month and was thrilled about trying out Stardust Racers.
Ride attendants help Zavala get into the roller coaster with a transfer seat.
During the ride, Zavala’s head slammed repeatedly on a metal bar, according to witnesses.
When the ride finished, Zavala was found slumped over in his seat and was unresponsive, according to incident reports. He was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled Zavala’s death as accidental and the result of blunt force trauma.
Universal officials said an internal review found the ride “functioned as intended” and employees correctly followed procedures. State investigators reached the same preliminary conclusions, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which regulates theme park rides in the state.
The ride has since remained closed as Zavala’s death continues to be investigated.
Zavala’s family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
