An Atlanta man died after he was thrown from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, and Six Flags has shut nine similar coasters at six parks while investigators work.
Story Highlights
- Police say Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was thrown from Goliath, struck other riders and fell beneath the ride.
- Four other people were taken to the hospital, and riders stuck high on the track were brought down.
- Six Flags closed nine lap-bar coasters at six parks “out of an abundance of caution.”
- Police and a state safety office are investigating; no cause has been released.
What Police And The Park Have Confirmed
Cobb County police said Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old Atlanta man, was thrown from the Goliath coaster shortly before 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, and hit other riders before he fell beneath the ride. Officers found him unconscious and not breathing, and he was pronounced dead. Police have not said what caused the fall, and Six Flags has not released a cause. The park closed for the rest of the day, and the company shut similar rides at other parks while the case is reviewed.
Atlanta Public Schools said Kariem worked at Wesley International Academy, a K-8 charter school in Atlanta, and called him “a cherished member of the Wesley International Academy and APS families.” Police identified him on Tuesday, Oct. 13, after his family was told.
Witnesses described a terrible scene. “He fell and hit the car three different times,” one rider told a local station. Another family said the man showed up in their souvenir ride photo as he fell. “He was in our pictures,” that witness said. Four other people were taken to the hospital. Officials have not described their injuries. Crews helped riders who were stuck high on the stopped coaster climb out and walk down a staircase to the ground.
Nine Coasters Shut At Six Parks
Six Flags said it closed nine roller coasters at six of its parks “out of an abundance of caution.” Officials said those rides are similar to Goliath, which holds riders in with only a lap bar. A lap bar is a padded bar that locks down across a rider’s thighs, with no harness over the shoulders. Goliath climbs about 200 feet, reaches speeds of up to 70 mph and has drops of 170 and 175 feet.
“We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park,” a Six Flags spokesperson said. The company said its team and local authorities “responded immediately,” that it is “cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation,” and that it would share no more details “out of respect for the family’s privacy.” Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, the county’s top elected leader, called the death “a terrible tragedy” and said, “I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed.”
Who Is Investigating, And Who Oversees Big Coasters?
Detectives with the Cobb County Police Major Crimes Unit are leading the case. The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, a state safety agency, said it is investigating too. Police said more information “will be released as it becomes available and is confirmed.” The cause of the fall and a reopening date for the closed rides have not been released.
Rules for big park rides are mostly set by the states. The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission covers mobile rides that travel with fairs, while rides at permanent parks fall under state and local inspection. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the theme park trade group, says serious injuries at fixed parks are rare, at about 1 in 15.5 million rides. That record is cold comfort to a family and a school community that lost someone they loved.
What Comes Next For Families And Park Guests
Investigators will look at the ride’s restraints, its inspection records, staff procedures and witness video. The nine closed coasters will stay shut until Six Flags says they are cleared. Families with trips planned should check the park’s ride status before they go, since closed rides and reopening dates can change as the review goes on.
A day at the park should end with tired kids and a car ride home. When it ends like this, the people who run the rides owe families plain answers and real fixes, delivered fast.
Sources:
youtube.com, wsbtv.com, waff.com, usatoday.com, iaapa.org