What began as a night of excitement at one of Florida’s newest theme parks ended in tragedy, and now the official investigation has come to a close.
According to FOX Business, Orange County authorities have ruled the death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala an accident, according to an incident report released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators determined there was no criminal wrongdoing and formally closed the case.
Zavala was riding Stardust Racers, a high-speed roller coaster at Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park, when the incident occurred.
Security footage reviewed by deputies showed Zavala was “engaged and well” at the beginning of the ride. By the time the coaster returned to the loading and unloading platform, he was unresponsive.
Stardust Racers is a dual-launch attraction capable of reaching speeds of up to 62 miles per hour and heights of approximately 133 feet, according to Universal Orlando.
Zavala was found slumped in his seat when the ride ended.
An employee told investigators that Zavala had “severe facial trauma.”
A witness quoted in the report described a disturbing scene, saying Zavala was “slumped over with blood coming from his head. His left leg was at a 90-degree angle in between the lap bar.”
Anna Marshall, a medical doctor waiting to board the ride, said she heard someone yelling, “Get me out!” Initially, she assumed the distress came from a rider struggling to breathe after the coaster’s intense motion.
Marshall told authorities she immediately identified herself as a doctor and offered to help.
She said Zavala was “completely slouched over with blood surrounding him.” She also reported that his thigh bone appeared to be broken in half and resting against the back of the ride seat.
Zavala’s girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, had been riding with him. She told investigators that employees pressed down on Zavala’s lap bar several times before the ride began, though she believed it remained too low.
As Marshall attempted to provide aid, she recalled Cruz-Robles repeatedly saying, “His mom’s going to kill me,” referencing prior conversations about Zavala riding roller coasters.
According to his parents, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz and Anne Zavala, Kevin was wheelchair-bound and lived with significant medical challenges. He was born with spinal cord atrophy and had undergone multiple surgeries throughout his life. He previously fractured his femur in 2020 and suffered a hip dislocation that required surgery in 2010.
Carlos told investigators that Kevin’s mother had always warned him not to ride roller coasters, though he continued to do so.
The family previously argued Zavala’s death was not an isolated incident. Attorney Ben Crump said during an October news conference that safety systems on Stardust Racers were “inadequate” and described the ride’s history as an “alarming timeline.”
Universal records obtained by WOFL showed two prior injury reports at the attraction, both attributed to preexisting conditions.
In September, the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Zavala’s cause of death as “multiple blunt impact injuries” and the manner of death an accident.
The sheriff’s office concluded that Epic Universe employees “followed their Standard Operating Procedures and did not act in a careless or neglectful manner.”
“Based upon the totality of the circumstances,” the report stated, the case was deemed an accidental death and closed.
In a statement, Universal said, “The family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala and Universal have reached an amicable resolution in this matter. The terms are confidential. The family is grateful for the community’s support and asks for privacy at this time.”
