CINCINNATI — A man who apparently entered a restricted area to retrieve his lost keys at a theme park in Ohio was critically injured when he was struck by a steel roller coaster, police and park officials said.
The 38-year-old man appeared to have entered a fenced area Wednesday night at Kings Island, according to a statement issued by the park near Cincinnati. He was found on the ground with an injury, but details on his condition were not been disclosed. He remained hospitalized.
According to police, a 38-year-old man was in a restricted and fenced off part of the Banshee ride at Kings Island. Officials believe he may have been hit by the roller coaster.
— Rachel Hirschheimer (@rhirschheimer) June 20, 2024
He was rushed to UC West Chester Hospital and then flown to UC Medical Center.
He's listed in… pic.twitter.com/Cx7PHk9bYM
The man dropped his keys while riding the Banshee, an inverted roller coaster where the train dangles from the track, and then went into the restricted area and was struck by the coaster, according to Mason police.
According to the park’s website, the Banshee is the world’s longest steel inverted roller coaster and reaches speeds of 68 mph.
The roller coaster was shut down and will remain closed while the investigation continues. No other injuries were reported.
The park is in Mason, which is about 24 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
