Six Flags Over Georgia: Witnesses describe horror as rider falls from Goliath coaster
Six Flags Over Georgia Goliath ride tragedy claims life
Six Flags Over Georgia shut down the Goliath roller coaster after an incident left one person dead and four others injured in Cobb County. Witnesses reported seeing a rider thrown into the woods before the train came to a sudden halt on the track. State safety officials are currently investigating what caused the fatal event.
MABLETON, Ga. - Cobb County emergency crews rushed to Six Flags Over Georgia on Monday afternoon after an incident on the Goliath roller coaster left one person dead and several others injured.
Police are investigating the deadly fall at the theme park, where shaken witnesses watched a rider fly from the ride into nearby woods.
The park was evacuated shortly after the incident.
Goliath ride incident in Mableton
What we know:
Officers assigned to Six Flags Over Georgia responded to an emergency call at approximately 3:58 p.m. on Monday.
Cobb County police confirmed that several people reported injuries and one person died during the incident involving a roller coaster.
Detectives with the department's Major Crimes Unit responded to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
Witnesses reported seeing the person fall from a moving roller-coaster car.
Georgia inspectors on site
Dig deeper:
The Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is responsible for the inspection of rides in the Peach State. Commissioner John F. King, speaking with FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Annie Mapp, said:
"Safety inspectors and investigators are on the ground examining the equipment and working with park officials and public safety officials in Cobb County."
FOX 5 Atlanta has reached out to the commissioner's office requesting the inspection records for the ride.
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Witnesses describe Goliath fall
What they're saying:
Brittany Landry of Winder said she was standing in the back row waiting to board the Georgia Scorcher when she looked up at the passing Goliath coaster train.
"Well, we didn't even know, so we were just trying to figure out how we're going to play in the last two hours because there's two hours left. We're still trying to squeeze dinner in, and we were making arrangements and some of the lines were getting really long, so we're like, you know, let's go."
"The Goliath hasn't had a long line all day because you have to be so many inches to ride it, you now? And so, I was like, let' go down, we'll go down by the Georgia Scorcher and the Twisted Cyclone, see if those lines are long, No, we'll come back."
"We'll ride the Goliath again. And we went down to the Georgia Scorcher and the line wasn't long, so we got in it."
"And that's when it happened. So, the track goes over the Georgia scorcher and as we're standing there, and it's on the bunny hops and as we were standing there, you know, just waiting our turn, and we're just standing there and we just, I just look and because I'm watching the rise because that's the best part of the track, you know, and we'd just look, and I just see somebody fly out and just fly into the woods."
"And they were just like, ‘Oh my God, somebody flew off’ and the kids next to us took off running and my son took off to go check, but the woods are all blocked off. And I wasn't sure because I was like, that's not what happened, that's what I saw."
"Maybe somebody had a bag or something. And so, we finished what we were doing, and we were free to go."
"I ran, and I checked, and I was absolutely right. I knew what I just saw."
"Yes ma'am, I knew we saw. I don't know."
Landry estimated that the coaster was approximately 150 feet away when the rider fell into the wooded area below.
"We were on there and all my kids are in the car and coming home with me today. I don't know for sure if it was a kid or an adult because it was probably about 150 feet away and then up when it happened."
"So, it was just an object, you know, you could see it was an human-formed object just flying. And so, I don't know, but I know that we're all making it home today and we're all, we're okay."
Landry broke down in tears as she processed what she had witnessed after riding the attraction earlier in the day.
"I broke down. I just broke down, yeah."
"I broke because we were just on there. We were just, we were on there."
"There's size restrictions, you know, if you're too small or too big, you can't get on there and the person that flew."
"I mean, we've always felt kind of like we were safe. It's an adventure."
"It is an adrenaline junkie move, you know? It's what you do."
"You go to ride roller coaster to get the adrenaline rush, but you always expect to get back. You don't expect to not come home."
"I'm sorry for whoever that was. I'm so sorry that happened to you today."
"I'm sorry it could have been any of us. I'm so sorry."
Another guest, Deysi Gonzalez, was waiting in the second-to-last row of the Georgia Scorcher line with her brother and mother when other visitors reacted in shock.
"So at first, before anything really happened, we were enjoying our day. We had just got [my] little man on the Goliath."
"So, it was his first time on the Goliath and then, after that, we got on the Batman and everything. We were just having fun, and we were gonna go get, we were going to go to the Goliath after getting or after getting off a different ride."
"And so, my mom was like, hey, let's go do this instead because we were going to get dinner next. And so we were walking to the other side of the park, and we were waiting in line for the Georgia Scorcher and we were up next."
"And we were like second to last row. And me and my brother were just standing there watching the Goliath go by."
"And then I looked over to the ride, and so I got distracted. I didn't even see anybody fly out."
"But the person next to us were like, oh, oh no, no, I'm getting out of this line. Somebody just fell off of the Goliath."
"And so I looked and everybody's just running over there to the woods and everything. So my brother, being the nosy kid he is, he runs off to the woods to go see what happened."
"And then he comes back. He's like, I think somebody just fell off the ride."
"I think just somebody just fall off a ride. It wasn't the bag or anything."
"I think someone just fell off the ride and then, so we finished, we got on the Georgia Scorcher. We were just doubting ourselves, like saying that nobody fell off of the right."
"And as soon as we got off, we were walking that way to the Goliath to see what happened and somebody confirmed that somebody had fell off."
Prior to the incident, Gonzalez said she felt completely safe on the rides.
"I felt really safe, like I was perfectly fine and everything, I was enjoying my time," Gonzalez said.
Offering sympathy to the victim's loved ones, Gonzalez added, "I feel really bad for the people whose family that is."
When asked whether she would return to the park in the future, Gonzalez said, "Probably, but I don't really know if I want to."
Park and city official reaction
Local perspective:
Six Flags Over Georgia is located in Mableton, though it carries an Austell mailing address at 275 Riverside Parkway SW, Austell, GA 30168.
City of Mableton Mayor Michael Owens issued a statement addressing the tragedy.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Six Flags Over Georgia today. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the individual’s family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time," Owens said.
"Mableton Public Safety Director Dr. Kerry Stallings is coordinating with Cobb County Police and park security as the situation is addressed," Owens added.
"We are grateful to the personnel responding to this incident and will continue to support coordination with the appropriate authorities. Out of respect for the family and the ongoing investigation, we will refrain from commenting further at this time."
A spokesperson for Six Flags Over Georgia, Hurricane Harbor and Six Flags White Water also released a statement.
"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," the park spokesperson said.
"We are also providing support to the guests and team members affected," the spokesperson continued.
"The park team and local authorities responded immediately, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time."
Lisa Cupid, the Cobb County Commission Chair, released the following statement:
"A terrible tragedy occurred today at Six Flags Over Georgia. One person has died, and others were injured. It is my understanding that next of kin have been notified.
"Cobb County Police officers responded immediately, and detectives with the Major Crimes Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident. The County is working closely with Six Flags Over Georgia and other appropriate partners as the investigation proceeds.
"I cannot imagine the horror the patrons and employees witnessed today, and my heart aches for the family who lost a loved one. Additional information will be released by law enforcement as it is confirmed.
"Six Flags Over Georgia is a significant part of our tourism landscape, drawing visitors from across our county, our state, and the Southeast. I look forward to learning more as the investigation unfolds.
"In the meantime, please keep in your thoughts the family of the deceased, those who were injured, the employees and leadership of Six Flags, and our community. We are all grappling with how something so devastating could happen at a place that has given generations of families such happy memories."
Rider reportedly falls from Goliath coaster
Six Flags Over Georgia workers helped stranded riders down from the Goliath roller coaster after a serious incident occurred in Cobb County. Riders were stuck halfway up the ascent before being escorted down using a harness system.
Recent roller coaster incidents
Why you should care:
This death would be at least the seventh at the Georgia park, including one in 2006 in which a man had a likely heart attack on the Goliath coaster, according to the Doan Law Firm, whose practice areas include amusement park accidents.
Last month, Six Flags Magic Mountain, in Southern California, announced that it was retiring its famous X2 roller coaster amid lawsuits alleging serious brain injury caused by the ride. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week.
Last year, a 32-year-old man died after riding a high-speed roller coaster at the Universal Epic Universe theme park in Florida. He died from blunt impact injuries and his death was ruled accidental.
Similar coasters now closed
Big picture view:
Six Flags officials say that the Goliath and similar attractions at their properties are closed until further notice:
"Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed similar attractions across our parks. The safety of our guests and team members remains one of our highest priorities."
FOX 32 Chicago confirmed that the Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America is among those closed.
Background on hypercoaster attraction
The backstory:
Goliath stands 200 feet tall and operates as a hypercoaster reaching maximum speeds of 70 mph.
Riders plunge down an initial 170-foot drop before ascending and diving into another 175-foot drop.
The attraction features a 12-story drop, a 540-degree spiral, razor-sharp turns and colossal bunny hop hills.
Riders experience gravitational forces reaching up to 4 Gs as the train travels along the course.
Ongoing Cobb County investigation
What's next:
Cobb County Police Department investigators are leading the investigation into the incident. Both park representatives and city leaders stated they are refraining from further comment out of respect for the family's privacy as police complete their investigation.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Cobb County police, who provided official statements regarding the initial investigation, as well as Mableton Mayor Michael Owens, Cobb County Commission Chair Lisa Cupid, the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, park representatives, and eyewitnesses Brittany Landry and Deysi Gonzalez. FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Annie Mapp contributed to this report. This article has been updated since it was originally published.