Man Dies After Being Ejected From Six Flags Roller Coaster

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, died on Oct. 12, 2026, after being ejected from the Goliath roller coaster while visiting the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park in Austell, nine.com.au reported.

Cobb County Police Investigate Fatal Ejection on Goliath

Officers with the Cobb County Police Department responded to the scene and found Kariem unresponsive and not breathing beneath the Goliath roller coaster. Early inquiries by detectives show that Kariem was ejected from the ride carriage and struck other patrons before falling beneath the attraction, according to nine.com.au. WSB-TV reported that witnesses heard a man scream and saw a body fly from the ride as chaos erupted near the exit. 11Alive.com noted that witnesses reported the man hit the ride car multiple times before falling onto the roof of a haunted house attraction below.

Witnesses Describe Terror as Six Flags Closes Similar Rides

Park visitors recounted harrowing moments as the incident unfolded on the 2006 Bolliger & Mabillard coaster, which reaches speeds of 70 miles per hour and heights of 200 feet. Logan Conner told NBC, as reported by nine.com.au, that he and his fiancée made direct eye contact with the man as he appeared to levitate sideways out of his seat. Nick Mendenhall described the event as happening in slow motion, telling nine.com.au that he prayed the man would stay in the car. CiCi Nelson told the BBC that she saw an empty seat with a loose safety bar and a girl covered in blood when the train returned to the station. In response to the tragedy, Six Flags temporarily closed nine similar roller coasters across North America out of an abundance of caution, 11Alive.com reported.

Park Officials Cooperate With Investigators While Questions Remain

Six Flags released a statement expressing deep sadness over the incident and confirming that park staff and local authorities responded immediately. The park stated it is cooperating fully with the investigation but has not shared additional details out of respect for the family’s privacy, according to nine.com.au. According to the Doan Law Firm, which tracks amusement park accidents, this fatality marks at least the seventh death recorded at the Georgia park, including a 2006 incident involving a man who suffered a likely heart attack on the same coaster, nine.com.au reported.

What Stays Unknown as Authorities Continue Inquiries

Park officials and investigators have not yet determined how Kariem came to be ejected from his seat, and the exact cause of the accident remains unknown, according to 11Alive.com. Authorities have also not released details regarding the medical conditions of other patrons who were struck by the falling passenger.

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