WESH 2 has exclusively shared body camera footage from the night Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died after riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Epic Universe.
Stardust Racers Body Camera Video
The body camera footage corroborates a final report on the incident, which took place on September 17, 2025. Zavala, 32, was unconscious after riding Stardust Racers and passed away from “multiple blunt impact injuries,” according to the medical examiner.
But on the scene, there was confusion about what had happened to Zavala. In the body camera footage, one deputy is heard asking, “What happened or what’s going on?”
Another deputy said, “I have no idea.” One deputy then explained, “He was on the ride. From what the medical services told me, it sounds like a massive cardiac event.”
Later, someone said, “He also possibly hit his head.”
Reporter Hayley Crombleholme said the footage included someone saying a person with a “cut” was unresponsive.
Police arrived at the coaster at about 9:30 p.m. While Zavala was transported to the hospital, deputies interviewed his girlfriend. As previously described in the final report, she said team members tried multiple times to get the lap restraint secured on Zavala. On the first drop of the ride, she saw Zavala hit his head. She then tried to hold him but he hit his head again.
Dr. Anna Marshall had also been on the ride and jumped into help. In an interview she said she was thinking, “How on Earth did this happen?”
She told the deputies it appeared Zavala’s femur was fractured and that he had a head injury she “assumed was from hitting the ride.”
Dr. Marshall said, “I think based on my observation, I think that could only have happened because his leg fractured, and that’s why he then shuffled up.”
The autopsy did find Zavala had a fractured right femur.
Days later, Zavala’s girlfriend said in an interview with a detective that they almost didn’t ride Stardust Racers. “For some reason that day I just wanted to skip the Stardust Racer,” she said, “but he was very excited, he told me, ‘Let’s go see how it is,’ so we went.”
See WESH 2’s report including body camera video below.
Zavala was born with spinal cord atrophy and did not have support in his legs. Universal’s safety guidelines said the ride “is not allowed for Guests with back, neck, or similar physical conditions” and that guests must be able to independently maintain an upright position; support their torso, neck and head; and brace their body with one natural upper extremity — but did not mention leg support. The guidelines have since been updated to say riders must be able to “walk independently.”
Zavala’s family hired lawyer Ben Crump shortly after the incident. Crump and the family criticized Universal reopening the coaster so soon after Zavala’s death.
The family never officially filed a lawsuit against Universal but they reached an “amicable resolution” with confidential terms in December. A final report determined there were no criminal acts in the death.
However, several other guests have filed lawsuits against Universal and manufacturer Mack Rides over injuries sustained on Stardust Racers.
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