Coaster accident called out

SANDUSKY — A bystander at a scene in which a woman was struck by a falling object at Cedar Point on Sunday contends park EMTs failed to properly render emergency services. A photo of a document identified as a supplementary report with a Cedar Point logo on it is posted on Twitter. The document states, in part, "I was told by Cedar Point EMTs to 'shut up and go away.' The patient was inappropriately placed on a gurney." Some of the information in that supplementary report signed by the witness matches dialogue and reaction in a video obtained by the Register on Monday and posted at sanduskyregister.com. Cedar Point officials would not confirm the supplementary report. They also refused to identify the victim or provide any information on her medical condition. Top Thrill Dragster The supplementary report suggested the woman, who was in line for the Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster on Sunday, suffered a severe head injury as a result of being hit by the falling object. In the video, a woman can be heard telling EMTs to "get a c-collar," also known as a cervical collar, for the victim. Later in the video, an EMT can be heard saying to someone who appears to be a supervisor that he was asked about a c-collar but did not have one "in the bag." At the gate Video shows the woman lying near the railings of the queue line for the roller coaster as she was attended to by first responders. A bolt that was found by a park employee, who can be heard saying it came off the ride, was given to a maintenance worker. The woman was taken by ambulance to Firelands Regional Medical Center and then transferred to a different hospital. There is no update on her condition; park officials have not responded to questions. An Ohio Department of Agriculture inspector was immediately on the scene following the incident on Sunday and conducted an inspection of the popular ride. "The (agency) takes very seriously the safety of all amusement rides that operate in the state," department spokeswoman Katie Boyer said. The ride was closed on Monday as the department continued to review the circumstances of the accident. A witness said the metal piece that allegedly struck the woman was about the size of a soda can and fell from above, according to the video. "We all saw it fly off," the unidentified man said. The man said he searched the area for the metal piece but couldn't find it among the crowd. "We checked everything we could. I walked the whole path and didn't find anything," he said. The Top Thrill Dragster was inspected on May 14 by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which manages safety inspections of rides and carnival rides. It passed with satisfactory remarks in all checks including cables, bolts and bearings. The next inspection for the ride was scheduled for September. Other events have occurred at this ride in the past. In 2004, metal debris was dislodged from the launching cables and struck four people. Another incident occurred in 2016 when launch cables detached from the ride.