Death At Cedar Point: Safety Inspection Finds No Problems With Raptor Roller Coaster That Fatally Struck Man
SANDUSKY, Ohio (WWJ/AP) - A safety inspection found no major problems with a roller coaster that struck and killed a man who entered a restricted area to look for a lost cellphone at Ohio's Cedar Point amusement park, a spokesman said Friday.
Police say 45-year-old James A. Young had just finished riding the Raptor on Thursday and jumped over a fence to retrieve something he dropped during the 57 mph ride. The Erie County coroner says it was his cellphone.
Reports indicate that Young was struck by the ride train itself, not by a passenger on the roller coaster. No one else was hurt.
The ride was examined overnight by state safety officials and found to be in safe working order, so it resumed operating Friday, park spokesman Bryan Edwards said. He wouldn't comment on whether officials are considering any changes to the Raptor or the area around it.
"Safety is always our highest priority here at Cedar Point, and we will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to provide an enjoyable, safe experience for all of our guests," he said.
The park expressed condolences to Young's family, Edwards said.
Young was from East Canton and had worked as a teacher for special-needs students in nearby Louisville last school year and, before that, in Alliance, The Canton Repository reported.
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