Overview
- An Orange County Sheriff’s Office report released Dec. 11 closed the case, determining Kevin Rodriguez Zavala’s Sept. 17 death was accidental with no criminal acts.
- The investigation relied on sworn statements, surveillance footage, medical examiner conclusions and Epic Universe’s standard operating procedures.
- The medical examiner ruled the cause as multiple blunt impact injuries and listed the manner of death as accidental.
- Zavala’s girlfriend told investigators he partially rose from his seat on the first drop and struck the bar multiple times after staff needed several pushes to lock the lap restraint.
- A doctor and first responders described severe trauma, including a fractured femur, and said it took about 10 minutes to release the lap bar; the ride reopened Oct. 4 after reviews, with updated guidance requiring some guests using mobility devices to walk independently, as the family continues an independent inquiry led by attorney Ben Crump.