Cedar Point victim was struck by metal torn from coaster
Aug. 23—COLUMBUS — A woman injured as she waited to board what was once one of the world's tallest and fastest rollercoasters at Cedar Point was struck by a metal L-shaped bracket that broke away from the train, Ohio's chief amusement ride inspector reported Monday.
The victim was identified as Rachel Hawes, 44, of Swartz Creek, Mich. She was taken first to Firelands Regional Medical Center and then transferred to Mercy-St. Vincent Hospital in Toledo on Aug. 15 with a head injury.
No one on the coaster was injured.
The bracket, or flag plate, was torn away from the back of the Top Thrill Dragster even as some bolts holding it remained in place. It was described as being about the size of an adult male's hand. It was examined and photographed by the state, but is now in the possession of the Sandusky park.
The train itself has been sent to a laboratory so that these bolts may also be examined.
David Miran, the Department of Agriculture's amusement ride safety chief, said the state has spoken with the family of the victim.
"We have not received any information from the family that is pertinent to this investigation," he said. "We have a significant amount of data and records that can assist us in that situation. We continue on with our investigation, and should we need any information from the family, we can coordinate that with them."
He said the bracket is designed to alert the automated equipment of the location of the train as it passes over certain sensors.
While he could not estimate the speed of the train at the accident, Mr. Miran said the train was near the bottom of the coaster and so would presumably have been near maximum velocity.
The 420-foot high rollercoaster can travel at a speed of 129 mph after 17 seconds. It was shut down for the rest of the season while the investigation is conducted.
The accident is the first major incident since amusement ride inspections came under a legislative microscope in the wake of two fatalities and injuries attached to the Fireball accident at the Ohio State Fair in 2017. Lawmakers passed Tyler's Law, named for one of the victims, 18-year-old victim Tyler Jarrell, to beef up ride inspections.
The Top Thrill Dragster was last inspected on May 14 and was scheduled for its second inspection of the year soon. The park also conducts its own pre-opening inspections, Mr. Miran said.
He said he does not believe that a structural flaw was missed during the first inspection.
"This ride is a popular one," he said. "It has operated several cycles since the May 14 inspection, so I don't believe that this was missed during the original Ag inspection."
During the ride's first year in 2004, four riders were injured when they were hit by debris. The ride also experienced a loose cable and faulty hydraulic valve.
First Published August 23, 2021, 3:38pm
