Girlfriend of Man Who Died on Roller Coaster Screamed for Help but ‘No One Heard Her’

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala’s girlfriend, Javiliz Cruz-Robles, was seated beside him on the Stardust Racers roller coaster ride that ended in his death. A newly released final investigative report describes how she screamed for help as the situation escalated inside their car — but no one heard her until the train neared the station.

Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers at the Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 17. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy found he died from “multiple blunt impact injuries,” Orange and Osceola counties Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany previously said, with the death ruled an accident.

On Thursday, Dec. 11, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office released its final report, concluding the death was accidental and that “no criminal acts occurred.” The report includes sworn statements from deputies, theme park staff and park guests.

A supplemental report by OCSO Deputy Tria Rojas outlines Cruz-Robles’ account of what happened. She told investigators it took “approximately 2-3 attempts” to secure the safety bar around Rodriguez Zavala after they sat down.

“She believed he was secured in; however, when the ride began the first downhill, Kevin flew forward, striking his head,” Rojas wrote.

Cruz-Robles said she saw him hit his head multiple times and tried to hold him back but couldn’t. As the emergency unfolded mid-ride, she cried out for help — but, according to the report, “no one heard her screaming for help until the train cart was getting close to the station.”

One witness, Dr. Anna Marshall, told deputies she was waiting to board the next vehicle when she heard someone yelling, “Get me out!” Marshall said she initially thought the person might be having difficulty breathing from the ride and notified staff that she was a doctor who could help calm them down.

When Marshall reached the scene, she reported seeing Cruz-Robles with blood on her face and Rodriguez Zavala slumped over, unresponsive, with blood around him.

“I couldn’t 100% be certain, but I was relatively confident at that point that he was lifeless,” Marshall said.

At the hospital — where both Rodriguez Zavala and Cruz-Robles were taken — Cruz-Robles told deputies that Rodriguez Zavala had a preexisting spinal injury and was taking Baclofen, a muscle relaxant.

The report describes Cruz-Robles as visibly distraught. “Cruz-Robles was visibly shaken, crying, and stated she was having panic attacks while speaking to deputies about the incident and was unable to write a statement herself,” investigators wrote.

Rodriguez Zavala’s parents, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz and Anne Zavala, told deputies their son was born with spinal cord atrophy affecting his T2–T5 vertebrae and had undergone surgeries throughout his life. They said he used a wheelchair and had also experienced a prior hip dislocation requiring surgery, as well as a previous femur fracture.

During a second interview, Cruz-Robles told deputies she had “just learned” about his past hip injury and said she was “guessing” it “could have been the cause of him coming so far out of the seat” during the ride.

In its final report, the sheriff’s office said investigators found that employees at Epic Universe appeared to have followed standard operating procedures and did not act in a careless or neglectful manner.

“Based upon the totality of the circumstances, with consideration of known, available evidence, to include sworn statements, video surveillance, the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office findings, the standard operating procedures provided by Epic Universe, this case was deemed an accidental death and was closed accordingly,” the agency wrote.

After the death, Rodriguez Zavala’s family retained attorney Ben Crump to conduct an independent investigation.

In a message posted to a GoFundMe created on behalf of the family, loved ones remembered Rodriguez Zavala as “truly one of a kind,” describing him as wise beyond his years and someone who made time to listen, offer thoughtful advice and lift others up even while dealing with challenges of his own.

They also wrote that he brought pride and warmth to his parents, and that as a brother, uncle and friend, he was a steady source of laughter, guidance, loyalty and love — leaving behind “a space no one can fill.”