Police identified the victim as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42. Six Flags closed nine coasters at other parks.
MABLETON, Ga. – Cobb County police on Tuesday identified the man who died Monday on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia as Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, of Atlanta. Preliminary information from witnesses and employees indicates he was ejected from the ride, struck other patrons and fell beneath the attraction, police said. The incident happened shortly before 4 p.m., and four other people were injured, WSB-TV reported. Police have not said what caused it, including whether mechanical failure or operator error was involved.
Kariem was an IT manager at Wesley International Academy, an Atlanta charter school, CBS News Atlanta reported. Atlanta Public Schools extended condolences to his family, friends and loved ones, and his family told local television he was an educator. Witnesses told local reporters they saw him come out of his seat while the ride was moving. Riders were evacuated from the stopped coaster four at a time.
The Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, which oversees safety inspections of amusement rides in the state, opened an investigation, the office said. The ride’s manufacturer is also investigating, and the Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit is leading its own inquiry. Six Flags said it is cooperating fully with authorities. The park was closed Tuesday for a pre-scheduled non-operating day.
Six Flags temporarily closed nine other roller coasters at six of its other parks as a precaution, according to a company statement. NBC News and the Associated Press reported that the closures extended across North America, and CNBC reported that the company’s shares fell in after-hours trading Monday. Goliath is a hypercoaster that reaches 70 mph and 200 feet, according to CBS News Atlanta.
It was the second death tied to Goliath and the eighth at the park since 1989, according to data from the Atlanta law firm The Doan Law Firm, which CBS News Atlanta cited. The first death on the ride was in July 2006, the year the coaster opened, when a 45-year-old man was found unresponsive after riding. Investigators have not announced when they expect to finish their work.