By Mark Woolsey
Cobb County officials and social media posters are expressing shock and sorrow-and are wondering what led up to the death of a man who flew off Six Flags Over Georgia’s 200-foot-tall “Goliath” roller coaster on Monday.
Witnesses say the man, whose name had not been released as of early Tuesday, came out of his seat shortly before 4 p.m., struck the ride several times, then plummeted to his death. Several others riding the hypercoaster were treated for injuries.
Passengers were later evacuated from the stalled ride, four at a time.
Cobb County Police spokesman Eric Smith said in a statement that officers assigned to the park and uniformed patrol officers both responded quickly.
He added that “Detectives with our major crimes unit are responding to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid called the incident a “terrible tragedy” in a statement and said similarly that she looked forward to learning more about what happened.
“The county is working closely with Six Flags over Georgia and other appropriate partners as the investigation proceeds,” she said.
“In the meantime, please keep in your thoughts the family of the deceased, those who were injured, the employees and leadership of Six Flags, and our community. We are all grappling with how something so devastating could happen at a place that has given generations of families such happy memories.”
Mableton Mayor Michael Owens says recently appointed public safety director Dr. Kerry Stallings will be working with Cobb Police and park security to try to determine what went wrong.
Mableton Councilwoman Cassandra Brown similarly said that the city’s public safety director is engaged with the process as the investigation begins.
Reaction to the tragedy on social media has been varied, ranging from shock to prayers for the victim’s family to wondering how the victim was catapulted from the ride.
More than one commenter said they had ridden Goliath and that riders needed to be secured more firmly than is the case with the current restraint system.
As one poster put it, “more needs to be in place than just the lap bars.”
Other parkgoers said online that they were wary and had opted not to ride the coaster, which opened in 2006 and which can reach speeds of 70 miles per hour.
A poster on the Cobb Nextdoor website said “This is crazy. This could be the nail in their (Six Flags) coffin.”
A statement from Six Flags Entertainment Corporation did not speak to rider safety measures but said that “thoughts and heartfelt condolences” were being expressed to the victim’s family, friends and loved ones.
The statement also said that support was being provided to park employees and guests impacted by the tragedy and added that they are fully cooperating with authorities beginning to probe the incident.
Meantime Six Flags officials told WSB-TV that out of an abundance of caution, rides similar to Goliath were being closed at their other parks. In addition, the Georgia park was evacuated in its entirety after the incident.