Miami– The autopsy practiced to Kevin Rodríguez Zavala, the 32 -year -old man who died on Wednesday after climbing to the Russian mountain Stardust Racers in the Epic Universe Park of Universal Orlando, revealed that the cause of death was “multiple injuries due to forceful impact.”
While the authorities investigate the event under the statute of involuntary homicide, the victim’s family announced the hiring of the renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to demand answers and responsibilities.
Autopsy opinion
Dr. Joshua Stephany, a forensic doctor of the Orlando area, classified death as accidental, although the report did not specify the exact location of the injuries that cost Rodríguez Zavala’s life.
The initial reports of the emergency services attended by the incident on the attraction platform indicated that the man, resident of Kissimmee and who used a wheelchair due to a previous injury in the column, presented a laceration and was unconscious.
Rodríguez Zavala was found unconscious after getting on the roller coaster. Witnesses claimed to have seen blood on their shirt while their body lay in the seat of the attraction vehicle.
Family demands answers
Rodríguez Zavala’s family hired lawyer Ben Crump, known for representing the families of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, to lead their search for justice.
CRump issued an energetic statement in which he said that “this tragic loss demands thorough investigation and total transparency.”
The lawyer announced that they will require full access to the maintenance and inspection records of the attraction, as well as the data and audiovisual material of the incident.
“We will hold all the responsible parties and fight to ensure that Kevin’s family receives the answers and justice they deserve,” Crump said.
Ongoing research
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the investigation into death is carried out under the Florida involuntary homicide statute.
A spokesman for the institution clarified that this is a standard procedure in cases of deaths that are not natural cause and that detectives must determine if there were some kind of negligence.
For its part, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services of Florida sent inspectors to the park, whose preliminary findings coincided with the Universal version, which maintains that the attraction worked correctly and that the personnel followed the established procedures.
The Russian mountain Stardust Racers remains closed from the night of the event.
Questions
The incident has put the focus on the security and accessibility policies of the theme park.
Although the Epic Universe guide warns that the Stardust Racers attraction “is not for guests with physical back, neck or similar conditions,” it is also designed to accommodate wheelchair users who can transfer to the seat.
This apparent contradiction generates questions about the responsibility of the park towards visitors with disabilities.
Rodríguez Zavala’s family opened an account at the Gofundme donation site to receive aid that will be used for funeral expenses.
The case evokes the precedent of Tyre Sampson, a teenager who died in 2022 in another attraction of Orlando, whose family was also represented by Ben Crump.
