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The woman who was hit by a metal object that disengaged from a roller coaster is still “fighting for her life,” her family confirmed in a statement.
It happened at Cedar Point in Ohio, around 4:30 p.m. on August 15. Officials previously confirmed that the object flew from train as it was ending its run. The woman, a 44-year-old from Michigan, was in line for the Top Thrill Dragster when she was hit by a “flag plate,” likely at its max speed of 120 miles per hour. The Ohio Department of Agriculture confirmed that information in a new report, adding that the woman sustained an “unknown type of head injury.”
Though officials have not commented on the woman’s condition, her family released a statement to Michigan-based ABC 12:
“We are devastated by last weekend’s accident at Cedar Point. We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this time. (She) is fighting for her life, and we would ask for privacy in this difficult time.”
Cedar Point posted a statement on its Facebook page last week, announcing that the Top Thrill Dragster would remain closed for the rest of 2021. The statement also noted, in part:
“Our team has the health and welfare of our guest who was involved in Sunday’s incident at Top Thrill Dragster at the forefront of our minds. We will continue to offer our support to her and her family in this unimaginably difficult time.
“We want to fully understand what happened and why. Together with the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture’s Division of Amusement Ride Safety & Fairs, third party investigators, engineers and the ride’s manufacturer, we are being careful, methodical and thorough. We will not rush the investigation and will work tirelessly in our search for answers in the interest of improving safety.”
The investigation remains ongoing.