No problems with roller coaster that fatally struck man

Associated Press

SANDUSKY

A safety inspection found no major problems with a roller coaster that struck and killed a man who entered a restricted area to look for a lost cellphone at Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park, a spokesman said Friday.

Police say 45-year-old James A. Young had just finished riding the Raptor on Thursday and jumped over a fence to retrieve something he dropped during the 57 mph ride. The Erie County coroner says it was his cellphone.

Sandusky police said Young was struck by the ride or someone on it. No one else was hurt.

Phil Long, an assistant chief with the Sandusky police, said the department had received at least a few calls from people who might have witnessed what happened or had information about it. Long said an initial police report wasn’t available for release.

The ride was examined overnight by state safety officials and found to be in safe working order, so it resumed operating Friday, park spokesman Bryan Edwards said.