FILE - Guests ride on the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Epic Universe Theme Park at Universal Resort Orlando, April 10, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, file)
Universal Orlando Resort is again in the hot seat over a roller coaster at its newest theme park, Epic Universe. A woman is suing Universal after she sustained injuries on the same ride involved in a man’s death this month. Sandi Streets is accusing the theme park of negligence in the lawsuit she filed in state court in Orlando, Florida.
Sandi Streets said she was invited to Universal’s Epic Universe theme park just a few weeks before it officially opened in May. When she went, she rode the dual-launch coaster Stardust Racers. It reaches speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph). On the ride, Streets’ head shook violently and slammed into her seat’s headrest, giving her permanent injuries, per her lawsuit.
It also says Streets has suffered disability, medical care expenses, loss of the ability to work and an exacerbation of a preexisting condition since going on the ride. Additionally, the lawsuit claims the ride failed to properly restrain her head, and the theme park failed to adequately warn her of “the unsafe and unreasonably dangerous condition” of the roller coaster.
Universal didn’t respond on Thursday to an email fromthe AP seeking comment about the lawsuit, and her attorney, Nicholas Spetsas, didn’t immediately respondto an email from the AP seeking further details on her injuries.
Sandi Streets filed the paperwork on Wednesday (September 24), one week after Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died after going on the same ride. When medics arrived, Kevin wasn’t breathing, and an eyewitness later described seeing the 32-year-old slumped over with blood.Ultimately, the medical examiner for the Orlando area ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries. The examiner listed the manner of death as an accident.
Karen Irwin, president of Universal Orlando Resort, wrote to workers last weekend after Zavala’s death. The note said internal findings showed ride systems functioned normally, equipment was intact, and Universal workers followed the proper procedures. Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services agreed last Friday.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Zavala’s family took issue with that conclusion at a news conference on Wednesday. In the latest report, Zavala had a spinal disability from birth and used a wheelchair. However, they’re insisting his disability didn’t cause his death. His family hasn’t filed a lawsuit yet. They have said they want to understand how he died.
Associated Press writer Mike Schneider contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. Follow Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social.
