Six Flags closes 9 North American roller coasters after families watch man fall to his death

Witnesses described seeing a man ejected from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, appearing to hover above the car before striking several people and falling to his death. The incident occurred Monday while the man was riding the park’s tallest coaster, which has a first hill of 200 feet and does not go upside down.

The man, identified by Cobb County police as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, an information technology manager at a public charter school, was thrown from the ride before hitting other patrons. Witnesses said he fell headfirst back into the coaster before being ejected on its final turn.

Six Flags responded by temporarily closing nine similar coasters across North America. Police and Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner are conducting an in-depth review of the incident, focusing on how the man fell and whether there were issues with his restraints. The Goliath coaster uses lap bars that pull down over the legs and waist, with no seat belts.

Officials have not released information about the people who were hurt. The Wesley International Academy, where Kariem worked, said it was devastated by his loss, noting his dedication to students and the school community. Witnesses recalled the sound of his body hitting the ground as something that would stay with them.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal