Six Flags Witnesses Say Man Was Detached From His Seat and Hit Goliath Coaster Car Three Times in Fatal Fall

Witnesses at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta described a fatal fall from Goliath on Monday, with one telling WXIA a man struck a coaster car three times.

Cobb County police confirmed that a man had died and several others were injured. Rider Logan Conner told the station he saw the man detached from his seat while riding Goliath with his fiancé.

Six Flags Riders Describe Mid-Ride Fall

'The man started levitating in the air sideways,' Conner told the station. 'We made direct eye contact with him.'

At least two witnesses interviewed by WXIA reported seeing the man strike parts of the ride multiple times before reaching the ground.

'He fell and hit the car three different times,' one witness told the station.

A witness also reported that the man had been sitting with a child and that his blood landed on their ride vehicle. One rider also stated that the falling man appeared in a souvenir photograph taken during the ride.

Video from the station captured passengers leaving the roller coaster after it paused mid-ride.

Police Inquiry at Six Flags Over Georgia

Cobb County Police Sgt. E.D. Smith confirmed in a statement that the incident was reported just before 4pm and that the department's Major Crimes Unit was investigating.

The Cobb County Department of Emergency Communications also confirmed the death but could not immediately provide further details. The official statements did not explain how the man came out of his seat or how the other people were injured.

The park expressed condolences and outlined assistance for those affected.

'We are deeply saddened by the guest incident at our park today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the guest's family, friends, and loved ones.'

A spokesperson explained that the park was providing support to guests and employees. Further details would not be released immediately 'out of respect for the family's privacy.'

Six Flags Over Georgia stands about 10 miles (16 kilometres) west of downtown Atlanta. Goliath, designed and built by Switzerland's Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, opened in 2006. The coaster stands 200 feet (about 61 metres) tall and has a maximum drop of 175 feet (about 53 metres), placing it in the hyper coaster category.

Separate Closure at Another Six Flags Park

The Georgia death follows a separate development at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Southern California, which announced nearly two weeks earlier that its X2 roller coaster would permanently close.

Allegations about X2 injuries stretched back more than a decade. Two women attended the same Santa Clarita emergency department with brain injuries after riding X2 six days apart in July. NBC News reported multiple lawsuits against Six Flags in September over alleged brain injuries on that ride. The park stated at the time that it did not comment on pending lawsuits.

Magic Mountain president Brian Oerding wrote in a blog post that X2 had consistently passed numerous safety tests, but the park believed closing it was the right decision.

'Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.'

X2 had been closed since 12 July. Attorney Christopher Bulone reported that one plaintiff suffered a catastrophic brain injury after a ride the previous day.