Teacher Plunged to Death from Six Flags Roller Coaster After Passing Out, Niece Claims
Hassan Kariem was ejected from the Goliath ride; four others were injured.
A teacher who died after falling from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia had passed out before being ejected from the ride, according to his niece. Hassan Kariem, 42, fell from the coaster on Monday, an incident that also injured four other parkgoers.
Navi, Kariem's niece, who was celebrating her 13th birthday and sitting next to him, told her father that Kariem "passed out." She also stated that after the ride moved again, his restraint "snapped or came, came loose and he fell," according to WSB.
Kariem, an education technology professional at Wesley International Academy, was at the park to celebrate his fiancée's niece's birthday. His family is reportedly asking for the graphic images and videos of the incident circulating online to stop being shared.
Witnesses described Kariem falling head-first from the ride, colliding with its metal frame multiple times before hitting the ground. Some witnesses also reported hearing a "weird clicking" noise from the roller coaster's restraints, which they said park staff checked multiple times before the ride began.
An investigation into the incident is underway, with state officials and Cobb County Major Crimes detectives examining the roller coaster's lap bar restraints, locking mechanisms, and safety sensors. A Six Flags spokesperson stated that the park is cooperating fully with authorities and expressed condolences to the family.
Six Flags Over Georgia was closed Tuesday through Thursday and is scheduled to reopen Friday evening. The Goliath roller coaster will remain closed indefinitely. The park has temporarily closed similar roller coasters manufactured by the same company as Goliath across its parks out of caution. At least 11 roller coasters in the U.S. and Canada, manufactured by Bollinger & Mabillard, have been temporarily shut down for inspection following the incident. Bollinger & Mabillard has stated it will comment further once it has a better understanding of what occurred.
The Goliath roller coaster is described as the tallest in Georgia, reaching speeds of 70 mph and heights of over 200 feet. It does not have secondary restraints in addition to its lap bar.