How Many Times Has Someone Died at Texas Theme Park?
With the warmer weather and kids getting out of school for the summer. A trip to a theme park maybe on the horizon. These stories may give you the goosebumps before you hop on your next roller coaster.
Alpine Sleigh Ride (Six Flags Astroworld)
Let's start with the theme park that no longer exists. Six Flags Astroworld, which was in Houston. They had their first major injury on January 12, 1974. The ride was the Alphine Sleigh Ride and on that date. A cart ran into another on the track. A woman suffered spinal injuries after the collision between the two carts.
Texas Cyclone (Astroworld)
Two major accidents with this ride back in the day. August 18, 1977, 15-year-old Lorraine Winkler was injured after falling 15 feet from the ride. Apparently the young girl's lap bar came undone in the ride. She did survive the fall. Several years later another major accident took place. October 19, 2003, 26 people were treated and released from a local hospital after a wooden board fell into the middle of a roller coaster train while the ride was running.
Excalibur (Astroworld)
We come to our first official death on the list and sadly it was a worker for Astroworld. August 9, 1997, a 51-year-old maintenance worker was working on a section of the track for repairs. Apparently workers where the trains depart from were unaware this person was on the track doing maintenance. Sadly, they were struck and killed by the oncoming coaster.
Mayan Mindbender (Astroworld)
In 2001, 13-year-old Sam Nguyen was ejected from the ride due to a faulty lap bar and suffered broken bones in his head, pelvis, and legs. He survived his injuries.
Poltergeist (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)
Let's head to San Antonio's Six Flags which only has one ride with a few incidents throughout the years. Mainly emergency crews having to rescue people because The Poltergeist likes to get stuck. The ride has actually broken down a few times, but the worst was in 2010 and 2021. Passengers were stuck for two to three hours during those breakdowns.
The worst incident happened on June 12, 2007. 14-year-old Hailey Kuhn was waiting for a coaster to board when she slipped and fell between the gap. She landed on a concrete floor ten feet below paralyzing her. Family members believe she fainted due to the heat that day.
Wahalla Wave (Aquatica)
If you don't know Aquatica, it is the Sea World San Antonio waterpark. On July 1, 2018, a woman was found unresponsive after riding the Wahalla Wave water slide. She had to be given CPR after riding the water slide.
Big Surf Shores (Aquatica)
Hard to blame Sea World/Aquatica for this one. A man did have a heart attack in the wave pool at Aquatica San Antonio on August 1, 2019. Lifeguards were able to get him out of the pool and he was taken Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills hospital where he later died. Like I said, don't blame them for this one, but technically still a death.
Parking Lot (Sea World San Antonio)
The only injury/death at Sea World San Antonio I can find is truly a tragedy that is completely out of Sea World's hands. On June 24, 2018 a five-year-old girl was leaving the park with her family. When she bolted for the family car, a driver coming through the parking lot and fatally struck the young girl killing her at the scene. Once again, not Sea World's fault, but it is a reported incident on the property.
Big Bend (Six Flags Over Texas)
Finally we head to the park with the most incidents in Texas. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, the original Six Flags park. Let's start with one of the oldest rides in the park, Big Bend. July 1, 1972, five people were injured, two seriously, after two cars collided. The victims were taken to Memorial Hospital where one person underwent surgery and another was placed in an intensive care ward. Then in 1974, a woman was reported to be in critical condition after being taken to Arlington Memorial Hospital due to her suffering broken ribs, a fractured pelvis and lacerations after falling 20 feet from the ride.
Butterfield Stagecoach (Six Flags Over Texas)
I actually can't find any footage from this ride at Six Flags Over Texas, but Knott's Berry Farm in California has a similar ride shown above. On May 27, 1967, 4-year-old Brenda Patterson was seriously injured when she was pinned by one of the coaches as the right wheel collapsed when it overturned. She was taken to Harris Hospital and had surgery done on both her feet. Ten more people that were on board the ride also suffered injuries in the accident but they were all released from Arlington Memorial Hospital after receiving emergency treatment.
El Sombero (Six Flags Over Texas)
On August 8, 1968, ride operator John Raymond Nelson approached the ride before it stopped so he could quickly unload the passengers. Nelson lost his balance and fell into the pit beneath the ride. Nelson would be pronounced dead upon arrival at Arlington Memorial Hospital.
The Gunslinger (Six Flags Over Texas)
On March 12, 2006, ten people suffered minor injuries when the Gunslinger came to an abrupt stop causing several people in swings to collide with one another. Five people were sent to the hospital after complaints of back pain; the others were treated at the on-site first aid station.
La Vibora (Six Flags Over Texas)
On May 31, 1995, 16-year-old park employee Christine Reed suffered injuries after she fell onto the tracks in the station and was run over by an incoming car. Miraculously she survived the ordeal. She was treated for lacerations and burns at a nearby hospital.
New Texas Giant (Six Flags Over Texas)
Probably the most famous on the list. On July 19, 2013, 52-year-old Rosy Esparza from Dallas, Texas, fell 75 feet to her death while riding the New Texas Giant roller coaster. Conflicting reports have come out about this death. Some state the latch for the coaster was not properly secured, others on the same coaster said it came undone in the middle of ride. Either way, this death made national news at the time due to how high Esparza fell from.
Roaring Rapids (Six Flags Over Texas)
To me the scariest death on the list right here. On March 21, 1999, 28-year-old Valeria Cartwright of was killed and ten other guests were injured, when the raft they were on overturned in 2–3 feet of water due to sudden deflation of the air chambers that support the raft. The ride at the time was going by a rushing water pipe that normally pushes the raft in the water. Due to the deflation of the float, this caused it to turn over flipping everyone over into the water. Six Flags and the victim's family actually joined together to sue the maker of the ride.
Runaway Mine Train (Six Flags Over Texas)
The name of this ride is really fitting for this next accident. On August 9, 1973, ten people suffered minor injuries when two cars from a coaster train derailed as it was running through a tunnel. No one was killed in the incident, but all ten people were treated for injuries.
Shock Wave (Six Flags Over Texas)
On August 31, 1980, Jamie Pratt, a 17-year-old female park employee fell 25 feet off of Shockwave. Jamie was doing a test run of the ride and it's believed her restraint was not properly pulled down. When the coaster went through one of the loops, Pratt was thrown from the ride. She was in serious, but stable condition at the time. She would survive the fall.
Lazy River (Hurricane Harbor)
The classic lazy river is a staple for every water park. On September 5, 2011, 64-year-old Linda Forbes was found unresponsive and drowned in the park's lazy river. She would be taken to a hospital where she would later die.
Tornado (Hurricane Harbor)
This one has been determined to be a bunch of employees messing around. On August 9, 2012, six lifeguards suffered minor injuries on the Tornado water slide during a training session. Apparently the employees were not following proper procedures.
Parking Lot (Hurricane Harbor)
On June 23, 2021, a fight between six and eight people broke out in the parking lot. An off-duty police officer attempted to break up the fight, then 16-year-old Dai'trell Teal was hit by a gunshot, severely injuring him. He later died at a local hospital.
Parking Lot (Six Flags Over Texas)
Another shooting, this time at Six Flags Over Texas. Thankfully the victim survived the shooting this time.
Riot Takes Over Six Flags Over Texas
Don't even know where to locate specifically in the park for this one, but this incident actually forced Six Flags Over Texas to close early. Several fights broke out throughout the park on September 11, 2021.
Well that does it for all I could find. If you enjoy theme park knowledge like this, check out more here.
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