Six Flags park reopens after man dies on roller coaster

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 00:02 · Archive

Six Flags Over Georgia is reopening after a man fell to his death from the Goliath roller coaster on Monday.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old school employee from Atlanta, was ejected from the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday. The park closed following the incident and is set to reopen Friday evening for the first time since his death. The Goliath will not be operating during the reopening, though the park was already scheduled to be closed Tuesday through Thursday.

Witnesses described seeing Kariem ejected from the coaster, and some people who rode the Goliath earlier that day reported concerns about its restraints. Local authorities in Cobb County are investigating what caused the incident. The coaster passed its latest annual state inspection in March with no safety violations found, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press.

Assistant Police Chief Damon Ballard said county police plan to wait for state investigators to determine what went wrong before deciding whether criminal charges are warranted. Six Flags Over Georgia's park president, Richard Pretlow, issued a statement thanking patrons for their support and offering condolences to Kariem's family, reiterating the park's commitment to safety. When asked what she might say to reassure patrons that Six Flags is safe, Cobb County's elected commission chairperson Lisa Cupid said people should 'use their judgment'.

How it is being reported

• Georgia amusement park to reopen as scheduled days after roller coaster deathATLANTA — Six Flags Over Georgia is set to open its gates Friday evening for the first time since a man fell to his death from one of the amusement park’s towering roller coasters.TribLIVE · 16 Oct, 21:10
• Six Flags park to reopen days after man dies on roller coasterThe rider's death prompted the closure of at least 11 similar coasters across the U.S. and Canada.PennLive · 16 Oct, 16:10

In this story: Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem · Six Flags Over Georgia · Atlanta · Richard Pretlow · Cobb County · Lisa Cupid

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