An incident report obtained Monday by the Orlando Sentinel details paramedics’ response after Kevin Rodriguez Zavala lost consciousness while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort’s new Epic Universe theme park last month, leading to him later being pronounced dead.
Orange County Fire Rescue was first dispatched to reports of an unresponsive citizen on Sept. 17 at 9:09 p.m., with the first personnel arriving at Epic Universe about six minutes later. They parked in the closest parking area, which was about 750 feet away from the entrance to Stardust Racers, the report from the agency shows.
Fire rescue personnel made their way to Stardust Racers and saw two Universal paramedics treating Zavala, who was still in one of the ride’s seats with the restraint bar on and had a defibrillator attached to him. The paramedics were holding Zavala up in the seat, the report said.
The paramedics told fire rescue that Zavala was in a state of pulseless electrical activity and that they only needed manpower to get him off the ride, according to the report.
The report said the restraint bar was lifted and Zavala was taken by both the Universal and fire rescue personnel to an open area, where fire rescue performed CPR. Zavala was immobilized with a backboard and placed on a stretcher while CPR continued.
He was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Zavala, of Kissimmee, was wheelchair-bound and had spinal cord atrophy since birth. When he rode Stardust Racers with his girlfriend that day, he was helped into the ride by Universal employees, according to his family. Attorneys representing Zavala’s family have angrily blasted Universal for statements that they say suggest Zavala’s disability played a role in his death.
He was found slumped over in his seat, and witnesses said that his head kept banging on the headrest. The Orange County medical examiner ruled his death as accidental and the result of “multiple blunt impact injuries.”
Universal reopened Stardust Racers on Saturday and updated its procedures and signs to reinforce existing warnings for “physical eligibility requirements” of riders. Guests using mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, must be able to walk independently. However, the park will continue to use “transfer devices” to assist visitors into the ride.
