SANDUSKY, Ohio (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.
Sandusky police said Young was struck by the ride or someone on it. No one else was hurt.
Phil Long, an assistant chief with the Sandusky police, said Friday that the department had received at least a few calls from people who might have witnessed what happened or had information about it. Long said an initial police report wasn’t available for release.
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.
