ORLANDO, Fla. — The death of a 32-year-old man after riding a high-speed roller coaster at Universal Epic Universe was accidental and no criminal wrongdoing was found, according to an Orange County Sheriff’s Office report released this week.

Investigators said Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died from blunt-impact injuries and that theme park employees followed proper procedures, with no evidence of carelessness or neglect. The case has now been closed.

A medical examiner’s report released Friday detailed severe injuries, including a deep gash to the left side of Zavala’s forehead, a fractured bony ridge above his eye, bleeding above the skull, bruising to the abdomen and arms, and fractures to his nose and right thigh bone.

Security video reviewed by investigators showed Zavala was “engaged and well” at the start of the ride but unresponsive and slouched in his seat when the coaster returned to the station. Witnesses told investigators that Zavala was bleeding from the face and slumped over when the ride stopped.

Epic Universe is the newest theme park at Universal Orlando Resort.

Anna Marshall, a medical doctor who was waiting in line for the ride, told investigators she saw Zavala slouched over and covered in blood.

She said his arm was hanging off the ride vehicle and that his thigh bone appeared broken.

Marshall also said Zavala’s girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, told her he had metal rods in his back from a previous spinal surgery.

Cruz-Robles told investigators that a ride operator pushed down Zavala’s lap restraint several times before it locked and that she believed the restraint sat too low on their laps.

She said Zavala flew forward during the first drop and struck his head on a metal bar, hitting his head multiple times during the ride despite her attempts to hold him back.

Investigators noted that warning signs at the ride entrance advised guests not to ride if they had certain medical conditions, including back or neck issues, or recent surgeries that could be aggravated by sudden drops and accelerations.

Zavala used a wheelchair, but his family told investigators that his disability did not cause his death. The family said he had previously undergone surgery for a fractured thigh bone in 2020 and a hip dislocation in 2010.

The dual-launch roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 62 mph and officially opened to the public in May as part of Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe expansion. — Agencies