Roller Coaster Death: Girlfriend’s Screams Ignored

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala’s girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, was seated by his side during the roller coaster ride that resulted in his death. Now, a final report detailing the investigation into the fatal incident reveals that she screamed for help but went unheard as the tragedy was unfolding inside their car.

Kevin was found unresponsive after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at the Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Fla., on Sept. 17. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy determined that he died from “multiple blunt impact injuries,” Joshua Stephany, the Chief Medical Examiner for Orange and Osceola counties, said in a previous statement to PEOPLE, adding that Kevin’s death was ruled an accident.

On Thursday, Dec. 11, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) released a final report on the incident, concluding that Kevin’s death was accidental and that “no criminal acts occurred” in the case. The lengthy report includes sworn statements from several deputies, theme park staff members and park guests.

A supplemental report from OCSO Deputy Tria Rojas also includes details about the incident provided by Cruz-Robles. Kevin’s girlfriend stated that “it took approximately 2-3 attempts to get the safety bar to secure around Kevin” once seated on the ride.

“She believed he was secured in; however, when the ride began the first downhill, Kevin flew forward, striking his head,” Rojas wrote in the report.

Cruz-Robles recalled seeing Kevin “hit his head multiple times,” and stated that she “attempted to hold him back but couldn’t do so.” As the emergency was occurring, Cruz-Robles “was crying for help, but due to being in the middle of the ride, no one heard her screaming for help until the train cart was getting close to the station,” per Rojas’ report.

A witness, Dr. Anna Marshall, who was at the Stardust Racers attraction at the time of the Sept. 17 incident, told deputies that she was waiting to board the next vehicle on the ride when she heard someone screaming, “Get me out!” She said she assumed the person screaming “might have been having trouble breathing as a result of the ride,” per the report, and informed staff that she was a doctor and “could assist with calming the person down.”

When Marshall walked up to the scene, she saw Cruz-Robles with “blood on her face” and an “unresponsive person,” Kevin, “completely slouched over with blood surrounding him.”

“I couldn’t 100% be certain, but I was relatively confident at that point that he was lifeless,” Marshall said.

In an interview conducted at the hospital, where both Kevin and Cruz-Robles were taken, the latter detailed what happened during the ride and stated that Kevin had a preexisting spinal injury and was taking Baclofen, a muscle relaxant.

“Cruz-Robles was visibly shaken, crying, and stated she was having panic attacks while speaking to deputies about the incident and was unable to write a statement herself,” the report states.

Kevin’s parents, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz and Anne Zavala, told deputies that their son “was born with Spinal Cord Atrophy, specifically at his T2-T5 vertebra, which required surgeries throughout his life,” and that he used a wheelchair. They said their son had a “previous hip dislocation which required surgery,” as well as a previous femur fracture.

As deputies interviewed Cruz-Robles for a second time, she stated that she had “just learned” about Kevin’s previous hip injury, and said she was “guessing” that it “could have been the cause of him coming so far out of the seat” during the roller coaster ride.

The OCSO said in their final report that, after reviewing all of the evidence, they determined that “it appeared that all employees of Epic Universe followed their Standards Operating Procedures and did not act in a careless or neglectful manner.”

“Based upon the totality of the circumstances, with consideration of known, available evidence, to include sworn statements, video surveillance, the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office findings, the standard operating procedures provided by Epic Universe, this case was deemed an accidental death and was closed accordingly,” the OCSO added.

Following his death, Kevin’s family retained attorney Ben Crump to conduct an independent investigation.

In a message on a GoFundMe set up on behalf of his family, Kevin was remembered by loved ones as being “truly one of a kind.”

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“He had an old soul — wise beyond his years. He was the kind of person who always made time to listen, offer thoughtful advice, and lift others up, even when he was facing challenges of his own,” the message said.

“As a son, he brought warmth and pride to our parents’ hearts. As a brother and uncle, he was a source of laughter, guidance, and unconditional love,” the message continued. “As a friend, he was loyal, thoughtful, and always present. His presence lit up every room, and his absence leaves a space no one can fill.”