We now know a little bit more about what caused serious injury to a Michigan woman as she was standing in line for one of the roller coasters at Cedar Point earlier this month.
David Miran, Chief of the Amusement Ride Safety Division for the Ohio Department of Agriculture, says the head injuries Rachel Hawes suffered were caused by a bracket that flew off the train of the Top Thrill Dragster.
“Half of the bolts that secured the train to the train body were still in place. The track on which the train returns near the finish line, which is called the brake bracket area, show signs of impact and deformation. Several horizontal track beams show signs of impact within approximately 25 feet of the brake bracket," Miran says.
Miran says the investigation continues to determine what caused the bracket to dislodge. He says he doesn’t know the extent of Hawes’ injuries. Cedar Point has closed the ride for the rest of the season.