Share and Follow
ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has released body camera footage and interviews detailing the moments following a man’s collapse and subsequent death after he rode the Stardust Racers at Universal’s Epic Universe in September.
The District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Kevin Rodriguez Zavala’s death on September 17, 2025, was accidental, attributing it to multiple blunt force injuries.
The footage from the body cameras captures several deputies arriving at the scene. Initially, they suspected Zavala had experienced a “massive cardiac event,” and they also noted signs of a head injury.
In the video, a deputy can be heard mentioning, “He was on the ride. From what medical services told me, it looks like a massive cardiac event. So they’re getting their evac from the ride now.”
Subsequently, the deputies spoke with Zavala’s girlfriend, who recounted the events that unfolded during the ride.
“We went on the ride, he doesn’t have any support on his legs. They pushed it like three times, maybe four,” she told deputies, describing difficulty with the ride’s lap bar.
“I saw him on the first drop, I saw him hit his head,” Zavala’s girlfriend said. “I tried to hold him, I couldn’t hold him.”
Investigators later determined that no criminal activity was involved in Zavala’s death. His family reached a resolution with Universal over his death.