The deputy said he ran toward the commotion to see how he could help. Exactly what from the ride train hit her has not been revealed. A state investigationfound no evidence that the park acted illegally or had reason to believe the ride was unsafe. The park has already announced it will not reopen this year. Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch Alive about Eric LeMarque's survival in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, and the rest of MagellanTVs history collection: https://www.magellantv.com/watch/alive?type=e\u0026episode=mammoth-mountain-miracle-manThe in-depth story of Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021. Imagine moving from a standstill to a breakneck 120mph (193 kph) in just 3.9 seconds. Cedar Point is charged with making daily inspections of its rides. Rachel is fighting for her life, and we would ask for privacy in this difficult time.". In 2004, four riders sustained minor injuries after they were hit by small pieces of metal during the launch; in 2016, two riders were treated for minor injuries after a cable became detached, according to news reports. [13], Top Thrill Dragster's media day was held on May 1, 2003,[14] and it officially opened to the public three days later. The inspection did, however, find some issues that needed to be upgraded to bring the ride into compliance. Four guests riding the coaster were hurt in 2004 when they were struck by metal shards from a metal cable during the launch. We will keep you updated as work continues on the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. [20] In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, timed boarding passes called "Access Passes" were used temporarily to comply with social distancing guidelines. Based on my knowledge and experience, if something comes off a roller coaster, that suggests to me a maintenance issue, said Martin, with KRM Consulting in Virginia. There have been other incidents involving the coaster that led to injuries though none as seriousas the latest one. I walked the whole thing. Top Thrill Dragster is one of the park's most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. David Miran, the Ohio Department of Agriculture's chief ofamusementrides, announced Monday thepiece that became dislodged is an "L-shaped" bracket attached to the back of the train car designed to look like dragster. The woman, who was hit in the head, was transported to Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky. AKRON, Ohio The piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement parkguest waiting in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was about the size of "a man's hand," according to state investigations. From 18 world-class roller coasters to three areas filled with rides and attractions for kids and families, plus an 18-acre waterpark with plunging slides and shallow-depth kids areas, you'll quickly find out why Cedar Point is known as The Amazement Park - it's the ultimate family destination for FUN! A large crane is on site and more launch track has now been removed. Hawes survived, though there have been no updated reports on her condition. The roller coaster is the second Accelerator Coaster model built by Intamin and one of two strata coasters in existence. Both Cedar Point EMS and Sandusky EMS responded to the incident. From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. Top Thrill Dragster also broke the height record, standing at 420 feet (130m), which was previously held by Superman: Escape from Krypton at 415 feet (126m). Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the first car), for a total of 18 riders per train. Tony Clark, the director of communications at Cedar Point, tweeted: "After 19 seasons in operation with 18 million riders experiencing the worlds first strata coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired.". All rights reserved. This could be seen as a reference to Formula One racing (and, perhaps accidentally, to the worlds fastest roller coaster, Intamins Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi). Last August, a 44-year-old Michigan woman was badly hurt when a metal bracket fell off the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster and hit her in the back of her head. "This is a very complicated ride," he said. ", More: Multiple people injured on New Jersey Six Flags roller coaster with derailment history, officials say. 2's right rear lap-bar cylinder soft repair and a lap bar cylinder creep test. The news came eight days after the horrifying incident at the Ohio amusement park that sent people in linescrambling for safety and Hawes seriously injured Aug. 15. Top Thrill Dragster reaches a height of 420 feet (130m), a maximum speed of 120mph (190km/h), and features a total track length of 2,800 feet (850m). September 26 - We heard at the beginning of September that the legendary Top Thrill Dragster "as we know it" at Cedar Point is to be retired and reimagined. TOP THRILL DRAGSTER: The High Octane Story of Cedar Point's Coaster Wars Icon And Its Post-Pitstop Second Life. AKRON, Ohio The piece of metal that struck a Cedar Point amusement park guest waiting in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster was about the size of "a man's hand," according to state investigations. Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster is being retired - Axios Columbus Columbus Sep 7, 2022 - News So long, Top Thrill Tyler Buchanan Tyler snapped this picture of Top Thrill Dragster's hill while standing in line two weeks before it closed in August 2021. The post goes on to say that track is also being removed from the load/unload station which does suggest that major work is being done which could mean the Top Thrill Dragster is getting a "switch-track and dedicated multi-launch track segment,". I have no idea. Press J to jump to the feed. He also described the quick response time by Cedar Point EMTs. If Steel Dragon 2000 can reopen after shearing an axle causing a serious back injury and hit someone with a wheel then Dragster can reopen. Please include the title when you click here to report it. Because the incident is still under investigation, the ride remains closed and there is no additional information to share at this time.. It is one of the most popular. An actual Top Fuel dragster weighs approximately one ton, while each train on the coaster weighed 15 tons. It doesn't appear that there are plans for an extended layout which was originally speculated. She was standing in line to purchase something to eat, he said. Top Thrill Dragster is one of Cedar Point's biggest and most popular rides so we originally assumed that Cedar Point would be keen to get the reimagining completed as soon as possible and the ride open again in 2023. We were there to assist, he said. To read the full story about Top Thrill Dragster from start to finish, check out our recently updated featured article,TOP THRILL DRAGSTER: The High Octane Story of Cedar Point's Coaster Wars Icon And Its Post-Pitstop Second Life. The entire ride lasts 17 seconds. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts . [23] Cedar Point announced that the coaster would be closed for the remainder of the season. That's the promise that the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster has delivered on since its first iconic ride in 2003. The state on Monday released the one-page initialincident report, which identified the victim as Hawes ofSwartz Creek, Michigan. Top Thrill Dragster . The ODA said the purpose of their investigation was not to determine the cause of the accident, just to make sure the amusement park followed all the laws in place to ensure the rollercoasters safety. 32 . Check out the rumors that are currently swirling below of what we may see in the reimagining and we will keep you posted with further updates when they are revealed on our news and Facebook page. I'm sure Cedar Point will figure something out with Intamin to get Dragster operational for 2023. We all saw it fly off. Are you excited to ride the reimagined Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. Park staff appear in the video to administer first aid as Sandusky police officers and firefighters arrive with a gurney to transport her to the hospital. The accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain . October 18 - We are closely following the progress of the eagerly awaited Top Thrill Dragster reimagining which was first announced back in September. It had been the tallest in the world until 2003 when it was replaced by Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. [16][17] Intamin designed both Kingda Ka and Top Thrill Dragster, and the two share a similar design and layout that differs primarily by theme and an additional hill featured on Kingda Ka. Its the first time something has happened and a person was struck., Martin recently worked with a woman who was injured at an amusement park in California while waiting in line. BODY CAM: Watch the chaotic scene at Cedar Point after a woman was hit by a piece of metal that came off the Top Thrill Dragster on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/pMPsB2rKxg. You fix it. Target of 130-135mph could maybe be feasible. Cedar Point did not acknowledge the incident and stated the closure was for maintenance reasons. After all that, they say they found no evidence to indicate that Cedar Point knew the Top Thrill Dragster ride was unsafe or could cause a hazard to the public. Witnesses called 911 from Cedar Point amusement park after officials said a. 419-334-1035. The Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point. THE world's second tallest rollercoaster has been closed forever after a woman waiting in line was hit on the head by a metal bracket. [44], On August 15, 2021, in what was described as a "serious accident",[22] a guest waiting in line was struck by a small metal piece that dislodged from a train as it was nearing the end of its run. The Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point remains closed while the investigation continues. The 420-foot (128-meter) tall Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster will remain closed as officials from the park in Sandusky, ride experts and state authorities investigate, Cedar Point said in. Top Thrill Dragster is one of the parks most thrilling and popular rides, with a top speed of 120 mph and height of 420 feet. Martin said hes hoping for transparency from the investigation, from both the park and the state, in an effort to instill public confidence in the process. "Due to the changes in ride inspections. Approximately 35% of the injuries were on roller coasters, 53% on family and adult rides, and 12% on childrens rides, according to IAAPA. Top Thrill Dragster reaches a height of 420 feet (130 . Female waiting in line injured after metal object falls from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point August 16, 2021, 3:49 AM A female guest was transported to a nearby hospital Sunday. Rachel Hawes Incident. Cedar Point, which has its own police department, has not released the report. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. From the start, the coaster was plagued by issues that led to its frequent closings as the park grappled with its complicatedhydraulic system. Northwest Ohio snow emergencies by county, Thousands without power as winter weather rolls in, FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY Ending Tonight, March 4th (Friday night update), Parents, students arrested in fight at Toledo elementary school, WATCH: Dave White Chevrolets Basketball Friday, Week 14, Trifecta, WATCH: Dave White Chevrolets Basketball Friday, Week 14. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WOIO) - Cedar Point announced today that the Top Thrill Dragster will remain closed for the 2021 season following an incident where a guest was injured by an object that fell. The visitant was clinging tight in line for the Top Thrill Dragster thrilling ride around 4:30 in the early evening when she was harmed, a Cedar Point representative affirmed. The bodycam video shows a park employee hand an officer a small bolt that he said came off the ride, but he said he wasnt sure if that object is what hit the woman. Among them: * What caused the coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, to malfunction? The 45-year-old, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, was left with serious brain injuriesafter being hit while waiting to board the ride. [22] The piece was later determined to be a flag plate an L-shaped bracket that signals the train's location to sensors positioned along the track. Thebrake bracket area of the track, which slows the cars at the end of the ride, showed signs of impact and were bent along withseveral horizontal track beams within about 25 feet of the damaged brake bracket. Riders are launched in the blink of an eye before sprinting straight up at a 90-degree incline, read the description of the ride on the theme parks website. Theme Park Tourist is one of thewebs leading sources of essential information and entertaining articles about theme parks in Orlando and beyond. She was initially taken to the Firelands Medical Center but later transported to St. Vincent's Hospital in Toledo. The ride goesfrom standstill to 120 mph in just3.8 seconds. [8] The structure was built by Intamin's subcontractor Stakotra. Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio announced on Tuesday it would be permanently closing the Top Thrill Dragster. There have been recent rumors that Cedar Point could increase the theming of both the rollercoaster itself and the surrounding area. Miran said prior to Monday afternoon's press briefing he contacted the woman's family to update them on the status of the investigation into what went wrong with the coaster. Shortly after reaching its maximum velocity, the catch car disengaged, and the train began its ascent up a 90-degree incline, twisting 90 degrees clockwise before climbing over the 420-foot (130m) top hat. 4 Dining Experiences We Wish Would Come To Walt Disney World, Lagoon: The Historic Theme Park That Was Nearly Destroyed. At around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, a female guest was waiting in line to ride the Top Thrill Dragster when a small metal object became dislodged from a train at the top of the 420-foot-tall ride, park . The video was posted to social media on Monday, 20 years to the day of the ride's first . Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster Media Story", "Cedar Point To Build Major New Thrill Ride For 2003 Season", "Top Thrill Dragster: Race for the Sky | Cedar Point", "Cedar Point makes good on its bet with 'Top Thrill Cubster' in honor of Chicago Cubs' World Series win over Indians (Video)", "Cedar Point opening day preview: Face masks, social distancing, HalloWeekends and more", "Cedar Point says Top Thrill Dragster, involved in serious accident, will remain closed for 2021", "ODA provides update on Top Thrill Dragster incident", "No laws broken in Cedar Point Top Thrill Dragster mishap that severely injured woman", "Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster, involved in August accident, will remain closed in 2022", "One of Cedar Point's most popular rides will be shut down for the 2022 season", "Cedar Point to retire Top Thrill Dragster", "Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point being retired, officials say", "Cedar Point permanently closing Top Thrill Dragster, world's second-tallest roller coaster", "Cedar Point's newest coaster starting to take shape along the Lake Erie shoreline", "Record Holders (Statistic: Height, Type: Steel)", "Record Holders (Statistic: Speed, Type: Steel)", "Record Holders (Statistic: Drop, Type: Steel)", "Hydraulic launched roller coasters at RCDB", "Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster still closed, undergoing maintenance", "Top Thrill Dragster closed for 2022 season", "Cedar Point is shutting down Top Thrill Dragster for good", "Top Thrill Dragster to be retired from Cedar Point", Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Top_Thrill_Dragster&oldid=1142142857, Articles with dead YouTube links from February 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from January 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Authorities are investigating a harrowing incident at an Ohio amusement park that's a magnet for roller coaster lovers. How can you protect somebody standing in line?, Dennis Speigel, an industry consultant, said hes confident Cedar Point will figure out what went wrong and will fix it. Photo: cedar point. The investigation has found that half of the bolts thatsecured the bracket to the train body had also dislodged. [23] An investigation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) determined that half of the bolts securing the plate dislodged. We dont know what it was. The Infamous Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021 (Documentary) - YouTube 0:00 / 11:54 The Infamous Top Thrill Dragster Accident 2021 (Documentary) Dark History 248K subscribers. Copyright 2021 WTVG. It just was a problematic ride, one thing after another, said Speigel, a former Kings Island executive. Her family said in a statement at the time: "We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. Park officials did not say if the accident influenced their decision to permanently close the coaster, which has operated for 19 years and drawn 18 million riders. Martin predicts that the ride will be permanently closed. It was the fourth roller coaster to exceed 100mph (160km/h), preceded by Tower of Terror II at Dreamworld, Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland. #TopThrillDragtser's station has been just about completely emptied at #cedarpoint. Its going to take them a while to do the forensics, said Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services. The decision by Cedar Point comes a year after a small metal object flew off the 128m-tall Top Thrill Dragster coaster and struck a woman in the head at the park in Sandusky, leaving her with severe injuries. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A brief message was played to the riders before the launch: "Keep arms down, head back, and hold on." And in 2016, two guests were injured when a launch cable detached from the coaster. [15] It became the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, overtaking the height record from Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land, built three years earlier, and the speed record from Dodonpa at Fuji-Q Highland, which opened in late 2001. THE world's second tallest rollercoaster has been closed forever after a woman waiting in line was hit on the head by a metal bracket. They added: "Our team is hard at work, creating a new and reimagined ride experience.. [32] On January 9, 2023, Cedar Point announced on social media that the ride would reopen in 2024 under the tagline "A New Formula For Thrills", although the park did not release any other information at that time. The statement said that a small metal object fell off a Top Thrill Dragster train as it was ending its run and hit a female guest who was standing in the ride queue. September 30 -For anyone who is interested in the current progress of the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, you may be interested to see this video which has been posted to YouTube by Amusement Park Portal showing a view over the top of the construction fencing. Adding a Multi-launch system which could then include a roll-back. Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com. Screamscape has posted photos on Facebook . Adding a roll-over inversion built into the hill. It was next scheduled to be inspected in September. Kingda Ka opened two years later at Six Flags Great Adventure and broke both of Top Thrill Dragster's records, boasting a height of 456 feet (139m) and a top speed of 128 miles per hour (206km/h). Hawes was seriously injured by a piece of metal that fell from the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park. I mean, you know its terrible, I mean, you go to have a good time with your family and then that, said Lucia Fultz. The ride was last inspected by the state in May. User account menu. When it debuted in 2003, Top Thrill Dragster was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, a title it lost in 2005 to a nearly identical ride, Kingda Ka, at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. August 6 - Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point has been closed since August 2021 after an incident where a guest waiting in line was struck by a metal object that fell from the roller coaster. [6] Track pieces identified as Intamin were previously spotted near Mean Streak. Up until this week, however, it was not responsible for any known serious injuries. Updates About Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster. The entire ride lasts 17 seconds. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WTVG) - Sandusky Police bodycam video from Cedar Point shows some of the chaotic moments after a woman was hit by a metal object that flew off the roller coaster she was in line to ride. A maintenance worker, who the Sandusky police officer gave the bolt to, asked the deputy what happened to the piece that hit the woman. Sucks that Dragster will be closed longer. The decision comes a year after the metal flew off the 420-foot tall coaster in Sandusky and seriously injured Rachel Hawes. [4] The concrete footings were kept hidden behind a fence when the park opened for the 2002 season. 0. David Miran, ODA chief of amusement rides, said Top Thrill Dragster's green train, as seen in this file photo, lost an "L-shaped" bracket on the back of the train car during an Aug. 15, 2021, ride. Top Thrill Dragster is themed to Top Fuel drag racing, with the starting launch designed to resemble a dragstrip. The accident has left 44-year-old Rachel Hawes of Michigan in intensive care with a brain injury, according to a family statementreleased to a Cleveland TV station. The 420-foot high roller coaster, which reached speeds of 120 mph, has been closed since Aug. 15, 2021 when Rachel Hawes, 45, of Swartz Creek, Mich., sustained severe brain injuries caused by a flying L-shaped piece of metal about the size of a human hand that dislodged from one of the trains. Cedar Point:New roller coaster, boardwalk in plans for 2023, What's everyone talking about? Cedar Point is charged with making daily inspections of its rides. The piece of metal was about the size of an adult male's hand. WARNING: Some viewers may find this video disturbing. At the time it opened in 2003, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Let us know what you would like to see from the reimagined Top Thrill Dragster by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page. It was just scary, Leppo said. As you can see from the video which is embedded below, the only words which appear are "A NEW FORMULA FOR THRILLS" "COMING 2024". When Top Thrill Dragster debuted, it set four new records: It became the fastest roller coaster in the world with a maximum speed of 120mph (190km/h). With 87% of people who voted in our recent poll saying they want to see Top Thrill Dragster reopening we are guessing many of our readers will be following the progress of this closely. The ride that dominates the Sandusky, Ohio, park's skyline has sat idle since a tragic mishap last August severely injured a park guestafter apiece of the ride about the size of "a man's hand," became dislodged and struck a woman standing in line in the head. Photos:Cedar Points top roller coasters, attractions over the years, Cedar Point accident:Five days later: Cedar Point offers no updates on injured woman. Cedar Point said the Top Thrill Dragster will still remain closed for the 2022 season. Cedar Point officials said the Top Thrill Dragster will be closed for the remainder of the season after a piece of metal struck a woman in the head last week. Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point) Following the death of 14-year-old, Tyre Sampson who tragically fell from the attraction, Orlando Free . Twitter. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The photos also show that the returning/ brake track run is also being removed from the station to just past the "Finish" line. An investigation continues into what caused a piece to come loose from the Top Thrill Dragster and hit a woman standing in line to ride the roller coaster Sunday at Cedar Point. Thats what theyre going to do., He added, If they tear it down, it wont be because of this one incident. The ride is inspected regularly -- by Cedar Point staff, the parks insurance company and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which oversees ride safety in the state. A range of photos were leaked online before Christmas of the current Top Thrill Dragster site. Posted by 8 days ago. And some 19 years and a troubled past later, Cedar Point is retiring the famed Top Thrill Dragster. Even now, he said, while the investigation is ongoing, park officials should be more forthcoming,. take a deeper dive into this in the video below. The ride that dominates the Sandusky.