Family of Woman Struck by Roller Coaster Piece Speaks Out - Peoplemag Dragster Accident At Cedar Point: 1 Woman Injured After Being Hit By Our theme park guides contain reviews and ratings of rides, restaurants and hotels at more than 80 theme parks worldwide. Cedar Point officials said the Top Thrill Dragster will be closed for the remainder of the season after a piece of metal struck a woman in the head last week. State investigations say the piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point guest waiting in line for the park's Top Thrill Dragster was about the size of "a man's hand.". SANDUSKY, Ohio (WTVG) - Sandusky Police bodycam video from Cedar Point shows some of the chaotic moments after a woman was hit by a metal object that flew off the roller coaster she was in line to. 1 injured after being hit by metal object from Top Thrill Dragster A woman visiting Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio was injured on Sunday after . Authorities are investigating a harrowing incident at an Ohio amusement park that's a magnet for roller coaster lovers. Screamscape has now reported a rumor that Cedar Point is getting ready to start work on the site of the coaster. [44], On August 15, 2021, in what was described as a "serious accident",[22] a guest waiting in line was struck by a small metal piece that dislodged from a train as it was nearing the end of its run. A hydraulic launch system speeds riders from zero to 120 mph. In summary this is what we know, work is clearly going on at the station. Park officials did not say if the accident influenced their decision to permanently close the coaster, which has operated for 19 years and drawn 18 million riders. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The ride that dominates the Sandusky, Ohio, park's skyline has sat idle since a tragic mishap last August severely injured a park guestafter apiece of the ride about the size of "a man's hand," became dislodged and struck a woman standing in line in the head. [24] ODA found there was "insufficient evidence to find the action or inactions of Cedar Point violated any of the laws" and concluded its investigation in February 2022. Sucks that Dragster will be closed longer. Prior to the accident, the Top Thrill Dragster was last inspected by the state on May 14 and no major issues were found. Death / Obituaries. The video shows the removal of parts of the track around the loading station. Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page. [8] Originally, the design called for five cars on each train, but when the ride first opened, there were only four. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch Alive about Eric LeMarque's survival in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, and the rest of MagellanTVs history collection: https://www.magellantv.com/watch/alive?type=e\u0026episode=mammoth-mountain-miracle-manThe in-depth story of Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? And in 2016, two guests were injured when a launch cable detached from the coaster. Who Is Rachel Hawes? Woman Injured By Cedar Point Rollercoaster It then launched, accelerating to a speed of 120mph (190km/h) in 3.8 seconds. . A six-month-long investigation found that the amusement park is not responsible for the Top Thrill Dragster mishap that left a Michigan woman with brain damage. The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. ", More: Multiple people injured on New Jersey Six Flags roller coaster with derailment history, officials say. Cedar Point Dragster Accident {Aug} Get Complete Insight Cedar Point officials have only described what hit the woman as a small metal object that became disengaged as the ride was ending a run. The accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain injury, according to a family statementreleased to a Cleveland TV station. Top Thrill Dragster is one of the park's most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. Last August, a 44-year-old Michigan woman was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. I mean I think they should be kind enough and generous enough to help the family out., I feel like it probably should be a little stricter then because something like that shouldnt happen, said Sandusky resident Misty Townsend. Cedar Point Top Thrill Dragster victim identified as Rachel Hawes ), Sandusky Police Chief Jared Oliver said his department did not have an official report of the accident because the incident was handled by Cedar Point. From 18 world-class roller coasters to three areas filled with rides and attractions for kids and families, plus an 18-acre waterpark with plunging slides and shallow-depth kids areas, you'll quickly find out why Cedar Point is known as The Amazement Park - it's the ultimate family destination for FUN! The state on Monday released the one-page initialincident report, which identified the victim as Hawes ofSwartz Creek, Michigan, near Flint. The 45-year-old, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, was left with serious brain injuriesafter being hit while waiting to board the ride. The accident has left a 44-year-old Michigan woman identified as Rachel Hawes in intensive care with a brain injury . William Yohe, a resident in Sandusky said; And some 19 years and a troubled past later, Cedar Point is retiring the famed Top Thrill Dragster. Cedar Point Rollercoaster Accident | Top Thrill Dragster Deaths on Rollercoasters Cedar Point Roller Coaster Accident Kills One October 1, 2021 kaplanlaw Premises Accidents In 2015, a Cedar Point roller coaster accident killed a man. A description of the ride reads: "Riders are launched in the blink of an eye before sprinting straight up at a 90-degree incline. From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. Cedar Point announces it's retiring 'Top Thrill Dragster' after 19 September 30 -For anyone who is interested in the current progress of the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, you may be interested to see this video which has been posted to YouTube by Amusement Park Portal showing a view over the top of the construction fencing. The ride goesfrom standstill to 120 mph in just3.8 seconds. We are devastated by last weekends accident at Cedar Point," the statement said. [11] An official announcement revealing details on the new ride was made the following month on January 9, 2003. * Who is the victim and what is her condition? October 18 - We are closely following the progress of the eagerly awaited Top Thrill Dragster reimagining which was first announced back in September. piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point guest, Theodore Decker: Cedar Point betrays its customers through silence after amusement park injury, Body cam footage shows Cedar Point guest screaming in agony, Cedar Points top roller coasters, attractions over the years, Five days later: Cedar Point offers no updates on injured woman, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Park Info. THE world's second tallest rollercoaster has been closed forever after a woman waiting in line was hit on the head by a metal bracket. Published in the article on 24th of August is that a woman was in a serious situation as she was injured with an l shaped piece of metal detached from the roller coaster hath Cedar point and hit her head for which starts bleeding. 2021, 12:15 AM. Ripley Steam Engine. Before the mishap, some 18 million guests rode the ride that sent peoplesome 420 feet in the air at a speed of 120 miles per hour in just four seconds. We've received your submission. [19] The ride continued to experience a variety of issues dealing with its hydraulic system and launch cable, which frequently led to downtime early on in its tenure. Female waiting in line injured after metal object falls from Top Thrill Facebook. Cedar Point permanently closing Top Thrill Dragster, world's second It is great to see that Cedar Point is wasting no time at all in pushing forward with this much needed reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster. 'We all saw it fly off': Video shows chaotic moments after - 13abc AKRON, Ohio It was once the tallest roller coaster in the world. Following an incident in 2021 in which a guest was severely injured, the park closed the ride indefinitely, later announcing in September 2022 that Top Thrill Dragster would be retired and replaced with a new ride experience. Speigel, however, said the permanent closure of Top Thrill Dragster was extremely unlikely. When it opened in 2003, Top Thrill Dragsterwas the tallest and fastest coaster in the world, but those records were surpassed in 2005 by the Kingda Ka coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. The Top Thrill Dragster coaster at Cedar Point remains closed while the investigation continues. [8] The structure was built by Intamin's subcontractor Stakotra. Please help me, she screamed as she was wheeled out of the ride area. Woman has brain injury after Cedar Point incident, family says August 17, 2021. Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/darkhistory. #TopThrillDragtser's station has been just about completely emptied at #cedarpoint. [24] Although ODA finished its investigation in February 2022, exonerating Cedar Point from any wrongdoing,[25] park officials announced that Top Thrill Dragster would remain closed for the 2022 season. All rights reserved. I checked everything we could. The roller coaster is the second Accelerator Coaster model built by Intamin and one of two strata coasters in existence. She was standing in line to purchase something to eat, he said. It happened around 4:30 p.m. Sunday as the woman was standing in line for the Top Thrill Dragster, when the piece came loose from a train on the coaster as it was ending its run, Cedar Point. [20] In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, timed boarding passes called "Access Passes" were used temporarily to comply with social distancing guidelines. Martin said hes hoping for transparency from the investigation, from both the park and the state, in an effort to instill public confidence in the process. My creation stands one meter tall (126 studs), and a has a two meter (288 stud) run out. Copyright 2021 WTVG. WhatsApp. Cedar Point Top Thrill Dragster DeathSerious injuries and deaths are [23] The guest was taken to a nearby hospital and was found to have suffered serious injuries. When theres an accident on a ride, you dont tear it down, he said. Woman Injured After Being Struck by Metal Object from Roller - Yahoo! The park has already announced it will not reopen this year. Cedar Point closing Top Thrill Dragster ride after it caused a severe injury in 2021 Craig Webb Akron Beacon Journal 0:00 2:10 AKRON, Ohio It was once the tallest roller coaster in the. I have no idea. Twitter. WARNING: Some viewers may find this video disturbing. Please include the title when you click here to report it. A brief message was played to the riders before the launch: "Keep arms down, head back, and hold on." This came after an extended closure that spanned more than one season. He was referring to a ride at the now-closed Schlitterbahn Kansas City, where a 10-year-old boy was killed in 2016. Miran said the steel track itself shows signs of damage where the bracket made contact as the coaster train made its way down the hill. Increasing the height by either taking the top section off and re-engineering it or lowering the bottom ends of the track at the base of the tower into a below-grade trench. Cedar Point shuts down Top Thrill Dragster, 2nd-tallest coaster take a deeper dive into this in the video below. Ryan Leppo was also standing in line for the roller coaster when he saw the object fly through the air from the ride. Imagine moving from a standstill to a breakneck 120mph (193 kph) in just 3.9 seconds. It was just scary, Leppo said. We dont know what it was. Top Thrill Dragster is themed to Top Fuel drag racing, with the starting launch designed to resemble a dragstrip. Top Thrill Dragster, which opened in 2003, stands 420 feet tall and goes from zero to 120 mph within 3.8 seconds. Cedar Point found not responsible for Top Thrill Dragster accident last 4 min read. SANDUSKY A female standing in line to ride Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was taken to a hospital after she was struck by a small metal . Investigators said they did not find enough evidence to show that the theme park violated any state laws. [6] Track pieces identified as Intamin were previously spotted near Mean Streak. Top Thrill Dragster is one of the parks most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. [15] A fifth car was added to each by midseason. Because the incident is still under investigation, the ride remains closed and there is no additional information to share at this time.. [4] The concrete footings were kept hidden behind a fence when the park opened for the 2002 season. [19], During the 2017 season's opening weekend, Cedar Point temporarily renamed the ride "Top Thrill Cubster", referencing a lost wager with Six Flags Great America over the World Series. Updated: 7:10 PM EST February 18, 2022 SANDUSKY, Ohio Cedar Point was cleared of any legal wrongdoing Friday in the accident that led to a woman being seriously injured last summer when a piece. Four guests riding the coaster were hurt in 2004 when they were struck by metal shards from a metal cable during the launch. New Attraction Coming in 2024 | Cedar Point The bracket, which was attached by bolts, is supposed to hover just over the trackand a series of sensors that keeps tabs on the coaster as it makes its way at breakneck speed up and over a 420-foot-tall hill in 17 seconds. Would You Want QUEEN To Replace Aerosmith On Rock 'n' Rollercoaster At Disney's Hollywood Studios? The ride is 17 seconds long. Female waiting in line injured after metal object falls from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point August 16, 2021, 3:49 AM A female guest was transported to a nearby hospital Sunday. Rachel is fighting for her life, and we would ask for privacy in this difficult time.". Cedar Point officials have declined to answer questions about the accident in the days since it occurred. SANDUSKY, Ohio (Gray News) - One of the world's most famous roller coasters is closing. Theyll look at the why and what and how and all of that. Ken Martin, an amusement park safety expert, suspects a maintenance failure is responsible for the accident. After all that, they say they found no evidence to indicate that Cedar Point knew the Top Thrill Dragster ride was unsafe or could cause a hazard to the public. The 420-foot (128-meter) tall Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster will remain closed as officials from the park in Sandusky, ride experts and state authorities investigate, Cedar Point said in. 2's right rear lap-bar cylinder soft repair and a lap bar cylinder creep test. About the Cedar Point Dragster Accident: Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The ride's speed, height and hydraulic launch system make it a constant maintenance project. Although Intamin has not worked with Cedar Fair since 2010 due to a number of issues with its installed rides at the parks, it would seem sensible with all the developments in reliability that Intamin has made in the last decade that Cedar Point would want their input for this extensive project because surely who best to do the job but the original creators of the attraction. Marshals searching for Ohio man wanted in multiple crimes, 1 dead, 4 hospitalized after being hit by semi-truck following crash on Ohio Turnpike, 2-year-old Ohio boy found safe, Amber Alert canceled, police say, Duo of suspected porch pirates wanted on Clevelands West Side, police say, Trio open credit card with Lake County residents information to use at Macedonia Ulta, sheriff says, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. That's the promise that the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster has delivered on since its first iconic ride in 2003. The Ohio Department of Agriculture released a 620-page report which found that Cedar Point did not violate state laws. Its the first time something has happened and a person was struck., Martin recently worked with a woman who was injured at an amusement park in California while waiting in line. A state investigationfound no evidence that the park acted illegally or had reason to believe the ride was unsafe. The 420-foot high roller coaster, which reached speeds of 120 mph, has been closed since Aug. 15, 2021 when Rachel Hawes, 45, of Swartz Creek, Mich., sustained severe brain injuries caused by a. A hospital spokesman said she was then transferred to another facility. The statement said that a small metal object fell off a Top Thrill Dragster train as it was ending its run and hit a female guest who was standing in the ride queue. AKRON, Ohio The piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement parkguest waiting in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was about the size of "a man's hand," according to state investigations. Reports indicated that a metal cable frayed during launch, shearing off shards of metal that struck the riders. When it opened in 2003, Top Thrill Dragsterwas the tallest and fastest coaster in the world, but those records were surpassed in 2005 by the Kingda Ka coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. Dodonpa held the record previously with a top speed of 107mph (172km/h). The Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point. [2], After leaving the station, the train entered the launch area. None of the injuries were life threatening. About 6% of the injuries were reported to be serious, resulting in a fatality or an immediate admission and hospitalization in excess of 24 hours. [8] By October, the roller coaster had reached 200 feet (61m) in height,[9] and the highest peak was topped off in December. David Miran, the Ohio Department of Agriculture's chief ofamusementrides, announced Monday thepiece that became dislodged is an "L-shaped" bracket attached to the back of the train car designed to look like dragster. Hawes was seriously injured by a piece of metal that fell from the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park. Exactly what from the ride train hit her has not been revealed. Log In Sign Up. 0. World's tallest complete circuit roller coaster, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 19:10. [15][34][35], Occasionally, a train was launched without sufficient speed to reach the top of the tower and rolled back onto the launch track, hence the term "rollback". However, although work appears to be progressing well we now know for certain that Top Thrill Dragster will remain closed for the . . "This is a very complicated ride," he said. We can also see from an aerial image (October 7) that a lot of track has been removed so far and work appears to be progressing at a good pace. Four guests riding the coaster were hurt in 2004 when they were struck by metal shards from a metal cable during the launch. We are very excited to see what Cedar Point has in store for the legendary Top Thrill Dragster in this extensive reimagining. Miran said the green train's car and other pieces of evidence have been sent to a lab for further investigation. Updates About Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster. Riders are launched in the blink of an eye before sprinting straight up at a 90-degree incline, read the description of the ride on the theme parks website. Northwest Ohio snow emergencies by county, Thousands without power as winter weather rolls in, FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY Ending Tonight, March 4th (Friday night update), Parents, students arrested in fight at Toledo elementary school, WATCH: Dave White Chevrolets Basketball Friday, Week 14, Trifecta, WATCH: Dave White Chevrolets Basketball Friday, Week 14. The ride was last inspected by the state in May. A . He could not speculate how fast the train was moving when the piece became dislodged but added it was likely at the ride's "maximum" velocity. September 26 - We heard at the beginning of September that the legendary Top Thrill Dragster "as we know it" at Cedar Point is to be retired and reimagined. Copyright 2022 WOIO. [23] An investigation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) determined that half of the bolts securing the plate dislodged. It was the fourth roller coaster to exceed 100mph (160km/h), preceded by Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. The amusement park teased that Top Thrill Dragster will return with "a new formula" in 2024. Top Thrill Dragster To Be Reimagined, Rumors Fly Of What This Could Look Like! You fix it. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. A large crane is on site and more launch track has now been removed. Could we also see a more highly themed area surrounding Top Thrill Dragster? The decision by Cedar Point comes a year after a small metal object flew off the 128m-tall Top Thrill Dragster coaster and struck a woman in the head at the park in Sandusky, leaving her with severe injuries. Park staff appear in the video to administer first aid as Sandusky police officers and firefighters arrive with a gurney to transport her to the hospital.